FM Noppadon resigns

The resignation would be effective on July 14, ending his five months and eight days in the office.

"To release people's suffering and for the sake of national unity and reconciliation, the country is more important than my political position, therefore-- although I have done nothing wrong-- I would take responsibility by resigning from the position," he said in a scheduled press conference.

The Preah Vihear temple's world heritage status caused political burden for Noppadon as the opposition, senators and street protest accused him of mishandling and would cause loss of the national sovereignty over the site.

The Hindu temple, ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962 belongs to Cambodia.

The Constitution Court ruled Tuesday a joint communiqué he signed with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to support Phnom Penh's application was unconstitutional.

"With respect to the court's decision, the ruling would set a precedent for legal study. The Foreign Minister has conducted the case in the line with the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs' procedure. Nobody intended to violate the law," he said.

The opposition meanwhile lodged an impeachment of Noppadon to the Senate speaker to begin the process. 

Noppadon declined to comment over the impeachment saying that he would follow the legal procedure.

He blamed the opposition and street protesters for fanning out nationalism and anti-Cambodia sentiment for political gain.

"Some certain group even brought such sentiment to harass my elder sister in (my home town) Nakhon Ratchasima," he said.

The sentiment was boosted to create hate and disunity between Thai and Cambodian people, he added.

"As the dust was clear, I'm confident, the truth would appear, as rationale comes to replace sentiment, time would prove what the foreign ministry and I did was the right thing and that we protected territory and national interest," he said.

"I did not betray the nation, I did not hurt the country," he said.