FM releases white paper on Thai-Cambodian border issues

BANGOK, February 9 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a white paper, informing the public of what they should know about the Preah Vihear Temple and other Thai-Cambodian border issues. The white paper on “The Information Thai People Should Know about the Preah Vihear Temple and Thai-Cambodian Border Negotiations” was introduced Thursday by Pasakorn Siriyapan, Director-General of the Thai Foreign Ministry's Department of East Asian Affairs. Pasakorn told a press conference that the book is believed to help people properly understand border issues between Thailand and Cambodia and what the Thai government has done, consisting eight topics on information about the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple, an old treaty determining the border between Siam and France, relevant verdicts of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), actions of Thailand to resolve border issues with Cambodia, attempts to solve Thai-Cambodian issues under the frameworks of the United Nations Security Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), attempts to solve Thai-Cambodian issues under the ICJ framework, the Preah Vihear and its listing as a world heritage and Thailand's visions on relations with neighbouring Cambodia. According to the senior official, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs published 20,000 copies of the book and people can receive the copies at the ministry or download it at the ministry's official website [www.mfa.go.th]. Thai Foreign Ministr Spokesman Thani Thongpakdi, who is also Director-General of the Department of Information, meanwhile, acknowledged that Thailand sent its written explanation on a case in which Cambodia has asked for the Hague-based ICJ to clarify its ownership of the Preah Vihear Temple to the World Court on December 21, 2011, and that the ICJ is waiting for a written document from the Cambodian side and will then consider whether it will need more information from both countries. Thani said he foresaw the World Court should conclude its overall process on the case by the end of this year. (TNA)