Samak bid to defuse tension

Protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (on the left, wearing yellow) were blocked by police and local villagers in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district yesterday as they attempted to travel to Preah Vihear Temple. Both sides carried pieces of w

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will meet top military commanders today to map out ways of defusing border tension at Preah Vihear Temple following an alarming build-up of troops on both the Thai and Cambodian sides.

The meeting is expected to pave the way for a joint session of the Thai-Cambodian Border Committee at Sa Kaew next Monday. Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh is expected to co-chair the session with Samak in his capacity as defence minister.

However, due to a prior engagement, Samak may designate Supreme Commander General Boonsrang Niumpradit to lead the Thai delegation on his behalf.

The prime minister appeared upset yesterday over the increased border tension. He alleged a conspiracy to incite a military confrontation between the two countries as a pretext for a coup to oust his government.

"All sides have agreed on the temple issue except the opposition party. To this day, attempts are being made to stir up trouble. Three lunatics suddenly showed up to provoke detention," he said.

Cambodian authorities briefly detained three Thai citizens on Tuesday after they made an unauthorised entry into the temple grounds. They were released later on the same day.

Samak said the provocation had led to border tension, as both Thailand and Cambodia had beefed up their troops in the area.

He insinuated that the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) was behind attempts to instigate mayhem on the Thai-Cambodian border.

The PAD is also trying to create chaos around the country by dispatching protesters to follow him and other ministers during upcountry trips, he said, adding that this was being carried out in hopes of sparking anti-riot operations so as to trigger a seizure of power.

He sidestepped a direct question about his plans to defuse the border tension by saying reporters should ask the military commanders instead.

He also mentioned that the PAD should be asked that question.

Si Sa Ket Governor Seni Chittakasem said he had imposed a ban on people entering the national park that served as a gateway for a border crossing to the temple. The ban was a safety precaution in light of the mobilisation of Thai and Cambodian soldiers.

Park rangers shut down their office and evacuated the area when they saw Thai troops beginning to deploy artillery.

Responding to press queries from Thailand, Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said in Phnom Penh that the prime ministers of the two countries had an amicable telephone conversation and agreed to prevent the tension from escalating.

He said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had issued a strict instruction to his country's soldiers to exercise restraint and not to fire the first shot. In addition, he revealed that 380 Cambodian soldiers were being deployed at the temple.

Hundreds of protesters organised by the PAD tried but failed to travel in a convoy of 100 buses from Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district to the park yesterday with the goal of staging a rally at the gateway to the temple.

Local villagers set up two roadblocks and warned the protesters to abandon their plans, because they did not want the situation to spiral out of control.

Following police intervention, the PAD protesters agreed to rally at a local school ground about 11 kilometres from the park.

A military intelligence report said local villagers opposed to the PAD protesters were organised by People Power Party MP Theera Traisoranakul.

Police beefed up security at the protest site, in order to avoid violence between the protesters and villagers. However, despite police efforts, about 20 people were injured in scuffles.

Two other groups, one of small-scale farmers from the Northeast and the other a Buddhist march, were both asked by provincial authorities to stay away from the PAD protest. The two groups staged a rally at the park to demand the temple's return to Thailand.

Sumalee Thapsorn, the wife of one of the three Thai citizens detained at the temple on Tuesday, said her husband, Wichan, had called to inform her he was safe in the care of the commander of Thailand's Suranaree Task Force.

Thailand's 2nd Army Region commander, Lt-General Sujit Sithiprapa, arrived at the park yesterday to assess the situation ahead of today's meeting at Government House.