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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
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Explainer-Border tensions: What's behind the row between Thailand and Cambodia?
By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) -Tension has been rising between Thailand and Cambodia following the killing of a Cambodian soldier in May during a brief exchange of gunfire at a disputed border area between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. WHERE DOES THE DISPUTE ORIGINATE? Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. That map, which Thailand later contested, was based on an agreement that the border would be demarcated along the natural watershed line between the two countries. In 2000, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Border Commission to peacefully address overlapping claims, but little progress has been made towards settling disputes. Claims over ownership of historical sites have raised nationalist tension between the two countries, notably in 2003 when rioters torched the Thai embassy and Thai businesses in Phnom Penh over an alleged remark by a Thai celebrity questioning jurisdiction over Cambodia's World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat temple. WHAT WERE PREVIOUS FLASHPOINTS? An 11th century Hindu temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, has been at the heart of the dispute for decades, with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh claiming historical ownership. The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand has continued to lay claim to the surrounding land. Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Two years later, Cambodia sought interpretation of the 1962 verdict and the ICJ again ruled in its favour, saying the land around the temple was also part of Cambodia and ordering Thai troops to withdraw. WHAT'S BEHIND RECENT TROUBLES? Despite the historic rivalry, the current governments of Thailand and Cambodia enjoy warm ties, partly due to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen, whose daughter and son respectively are now the respective prime ministers in their countries. Thaksin and Hun Sen also remain active in politics. But nationalist sentiment has risen in Thailand after conservatives last year questioned the government's plan to negotiate with Cambodia to jointly explore energy resources in undemarcated maritime areas, warning such a move could risk Thailand losing the island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand. Tensions also rose in February when a group of Cambodians escorted by troops sang their national anthem at another ancient Hindu temple that both countries claim, Ta Moan Thom, before being stopped by Thai soldiers. The issue is a problem for Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whose government is facing multiple challenges on the domestic front, including a stuttering economy facing steep U.S. tariffs. Thailand's military, however, has ramped up the rhetoric with statements that have contrasted with the government's conciliatory tone, expressing readiness for a "high-level operation" if sovereignty comes under threat. Paetongtarn later echoed the military's position but said a peaceful resolution of the disputes was Thailand's priority. The mixed messaging underlines the troubled history between the billionaire Shinawatra family and the royalist military, which toppled its governments in 2006 and 2014. HOW IS THE ISSUE BEING RESOLVED? After the May 28 clash, both countries quickly promised to ease tension, prevent more conflict and seek dialogue via their joint border commission at a meeting planned for June 14. The neighbours have issued diplomatically worded statements committing to peace while vowing to protect sovereignty, but their militaries have been mobilising near the border, raising concerns about another flare-up. Cambodia, meanwhile, said existing mechanisms were not working and it planned to refer disputes in four border areas to the ICJ to settle "unresolved and sensitive" issues that it said could escalate tensions. Thailand has not recognised the ICJ's rulings on the row and wants to settle it bilaterally.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thai military prepared for 'high-level operation' if Cambodia border row escalates
By Juarawee Kittisilpa, Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's military said it is ready to launch a "high-level operation" to counter any violation of its sovereignty, in the strongest words yet in a simmering border dispute with Cambodia that re-erupted with a deadly clash last week. The army said in a statement late on Thursday that its intelligence gathering indicated Cambodia had stepped up its military readiness at their border while diplomatic efforts were ongoing, describing that as "worrisome". The statement was in sharp contrast with one from the government just hours earlier, when it urged Cambodia to positively engage in dialogue via an existing mechanism between them. "The army is now ready for a high-level military operation in case it is necessary to retaliate against the violation of sovereignty," it said, ahead of a meeting of its armed forces top brass scheduled for Friday. "Operations of units at the border have been conducted carefully, calmly and based on an understanding of the situation to prevent losses on all sides, but at the same time, are ready to defend the country's sovereignty to the fullest extent if the situation is called for." Cambodia's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Thai military statement on Friday. The governments of the two countries had for days exchanged carefully worded statements committing to dialogue after a brief skirmish in an undemarcated border area on May 28 in which a Cambodian soldier was killed. Although the two countries have a historic rivalry, their governments enjoy friendly ties, partly due to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen, whose daughter and son respectively are now the prime ministers in their countries. The issue comes at a tricky time for the Pheu Thai Party-led administration in Thailand as it battles to revive a flagging economy that could be hit by steep U.S. tariffs, while facing a challenge to its popularity having paused a signature cash handout to tens of millions of people. The party of the billionaire Shinawatra family has a troubled history with the Thai military, which twice toppled its governments in 2006 and 2014 coups. Deadly clashes between Cambodia and Thailand last erupted in 2011 over the Preah Vihear, a 900-year-old temple at the heart of a decades-long row that has stirred nationalist sentiment on both sides. The International Court of Justice in 2013 ruled in favour of Cambodia in clarifying a 1962 decision to award it jurisdiction over the temple, saying part of the land around it was Cambodia's and Thai troops must withdraw from the area. Cambodia said this week it is committed to peace and plans to resolve the issue by referring disputes over four parts of their border to the ICJ and has asked Thailand to cooperate. Thailand says it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction. (Reporting Juarawee Kittisilpa; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by John Mair)
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Myanmar still in desperate need after quake, Thailand says
By Panu Wongcha-um (Reuters) -Quake-stricken Myanmar is still in desperate need of medical assistance, field hospitals and shelters, Thailand's foreign minister said, stressing the importance of a coordinated regional relief effort and long-term support. The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 was one of the strongest to hit Myanmar in a century, jolting a region that is home to 28 million people, toppling buildings, flattening communities and leaving many without food, water and shelter. The military government said 3,645 people were killed in the quake, with 5,017 injured and another 148 missing. Nearly 49,000 houses and more than 2,100 government buildings were destroyed. Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa and Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Hasan met with Myanmar officials on Saturday in the quake-hit capital Naypyitaw and saw the scale of the devastation. "What Myanmar needs is field hospitals," Maris said in an interview late on Tuesday. "Their existing hospitals can't operate to their full capacity due to damage from the quake," he said. There was also a need for temporary shelters, mosquito nets, food, water filters and clean water supplies, Maris said, with fears rising about communicable diseases among those made homeless, compounded by the intense summer heat. On Wednesday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs thanked the more than 30 search-and-rescue teams from 13 countries that had been deployed to find survivors, some of which were now departing Myanmar. "Their expertise was crucial in the immediate aftermath - helping locate survivors and support communities in their darkest hours," OCHA said in a Facebook post. The Chinese search-and-rescue team left Myanmar on Wednesday having completed its mission, state news agency Xinhua reported. A fifth batch of emergency aid supplies from China arrived on Wednesday weighing 91 tonnes, it said, including 266 tents and thousands of mosquito nets and tarpaulin sheets. BIG BLOW The disaster was a major blow to a country that has been grappling with a wilting economy and a widening civil war triggered by a 2021 military coup, with an estimated 3.5 million people displaced in Myanmar long before the quake struck, according to the United Nations. The junta and rebel groups have announced unilateral ceasefires to support the quake relief effort, but have accused each other of violating the agreements. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said the government must ensure in the reconstruction effort that buildings can withstand natural disasters. "It is necessary to take lessons of dreadful losses in past events," he was quoted as saying in Wednesday's state media. "Officials need to supervise the construction of buildings rigorously." Maris, Thailand's top diplomat, said plans were also being drawn for medium- and long-term assistance for Myanmar, including reconstruction of damaged areas. Malaysia wanted to coordinate the regional relief effort in Sagaing, he said, with Thailand handling humanitarian efforts in Mandalay. Both areas were near the quake epicentre. The aim was to improve capacity on the ground to ensure foreign aid into Myanmar from Southeast Asian countries was optimised, he added. "We told Myanmar that apart from helping the people, the two teams will help manage coordination efforts coming in," Maris said.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thai watchdog had flagged concerns on building that collapsed in earthquake
By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - An anti-corruption watchdog had flagged irregularities in the construction of a Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed in an earthquake last week and killed at least 11 people, the head of the monitoring group told Reuters. The government had threatened to cancel the project earlier this year because of delays, Mana Nimitmongkol, president of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand, said on Sunday. The government has announced an investigation into the cause of the collapse of the tower, which was being built by a Chinese company and a long-established Thai construction firm. Rescuers were still desperately searching on Monday for 76 more people feared trapped under the rubble of the unfinished 30-storey tower for Thailand's State Audit Office. The unfinished tower was the only Bangkok building that completely crumbled when a 7.7 magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on Friday and rattled neighbouring countries. Construction of the building, which began in 2020, is being carried out by a joint venture between Italian Thai Development PCL and a local subsidiary of China's state-owned China Railway Group, the China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd. Italian Thai Development and China Railway Group did not immediately comment when contacted by Reuters. The audit office has said that it will investigate the cause of the building collapse. It did not answer e-mailed questions from Reuters whether it had threatened to cancel the construction contract. The tower was originally slated for completion by 2026 but was behind schedule. The deputy auditor general, Sutthipong Boonnithi, told reporters on Saturday that construction was only "30% completed" before it collapsed. Site visits to the project during construction by the anti-corruption group had raised concerns about delays, worker shortages and possible corner-cutting, Mana said. "Sometimes the number of workers on site were much fewer than there should be, causing delays," he said. "Potentially there was a rush to complete the project towards the end, which could cause a drop in the standard of work." Mana, whose organisation scrutinises some 170 government projects around the country, said the construction delay was so severe that the audit office had threatened to cancel the contract with the two construction companies in January. Share prices of ITD tumbled 30% when markets opened on Monday against a benchmark drop of 1%. NO OTHER BUILDING COLLAPSED Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra ordered government agencies on Saturday to investigate the root cause of the building collapse within one week. The official Thai investigation is looking into the construction plan, the standard of the material used as well as possible unsafe action during the construction of the building. Han Zhinqiang, China's ambassador to Thailand, said on Sunday that China would cooperate in the investigation. Thai Industry Minister Akanat Promphan told Reuters that he was concerned sub-standard steel may have been used in the construction of the building as he led the team collecting samples from the rubble on Sunday. The material gathered was being tested at the site, and results were expected to be announced on Monday afternoon. The ministry has been cracking down on companies that have produced sub-standard steel over the past six months, shutting down seven factories and seizing 360 million baht (about $10 million) worth of assets from these steel companies, he said. "Many of these factories used an old production process and equipment relocated from China," Akanat said, adding: "This has led to sub-standard steel." Experts from the council of engineers that is assisting the government in surveying buildings around the Thai capital for earthquake damages speculated that the skyscraper could have collapsed due to unsafe material or poor planning in the building process. "It is strange that no other buildings suffered like this," Anek Siripanichgorn, a board member of the Council of Engineers Thailand told Reuters. "Even other tall buildings under construction, they did not collapse," he said.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thailand's deportation of Uyghurs was to avert China 'retaliation', minister says
By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China last week was in the Southeast Asian country's best interest due to the possibility of retaliation from Beijing if the group was sent elsewhere, a Thai minister said on Thursday. Thailand's government has repeatedly defended the secretive deportation, which came despite calls from United Nations human rights experts who said the Uyghurs would be at risk of torture, ill-treatment and "irreparable harm" if returned to China. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Human rights groups accuse China of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority numbering about 10 million in its northwestern region of Xinjiang. Beijing denies any abuses. Russ Jalichandra, Thailand's vice minister for foreign affairs, in a statement on Thursday said some countries had offered to resettle the Uyghurs, walking back previous comments by Thai officials that no such proposals had been made. He did not name the countries. The United States, Canada and Australia were among countries that had offered to resettle the Uyghurs but Bangkok took no action for fear of upsetting China, Reuters reported on Wednesday. But the offers from third countries were "unrealistic" as resettling the Uyghurs would not shield Thailand from a potential fallout with China, Russ said. "Thailand could face retaliation from China that would impact the livelihoods of many Thais," he said, adding that sending the group to China was the "best option". Russ did not elaborate on the possible retaliation. China's foreign ministry and its embassy in Bangkok did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the vice minister's remarks about retaliation. The Chinese foreign ministry told Reuters this week that the individuals Thailand sent back were Chinese nationals who were illegal migrants and the process was carried out in accordance with Chinese, Thai and international laws. The 40 Uyghurs deported last week were part of a group of 300 who fled China and were arrested in Thailand in 2014. Some were sent back to China and others to Turkey, with the rest remaining in Thai custody for over a decade.
