Situation along Thai-Cambodian border remains calm, hours ahead of ICJ's ruling

SI SA KET, November 11 (TNA) - The general situation at all Thai provinces bordering neighbouring Cambodia remained normal on Monday morning, hours before The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules on a territorial dispute case related to the Preah Vihear Temple along the common border later in the day(Thailand's time). In Si Sa Ket province in the Thai Northeast, Phumsrol Village near the Preah Vihear Temple remained calm, as villagers were awaiting anxiously for the ICJ's verdict, set to begin at around 4pm on November 11 (Thailand's time). In Sa Kaeo province in the Thai East, traders from the two countries continued their normal trading at Aranyaprathet border checkpoint, saying that no matter what the outcome of the World Court's verdict is, Thais and Cambodians are close neighbours and will maintain their good relations, as none will benefit from a dispute. In Bangkok, a group of people, called themselves Thai patriots, however, marched peacefully to the Defence Ministry headquartersr on early Monday morning, vowing not to accept the ICJ's ruling. The group, comprising members of the so-called ‘People’s Army to Overthrow the Thaksin Regime’, the ‘Dharma Army’ group and people from all walks of life, also asked the Ministry of Defence to help protect Thailand’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, security measures in the vicinity of the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok, provided by hundreds of Thai police, have been intensified to prevent or, probably, deal with any untoward incident. The ICJ in 1962 awarded the Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia, but a 4.6-kilometre land surrounding the ancient Hindu temple has remained in dispute and Phnom Penh then asked the ICJ in April 2011 to rule on the ownership of the disputed area. (TNA)