In response to Cambodia’s failure to submit a plan for repatriating its citizens living in three disputed areas, including Nong Chan, in Sa Kaeo province, the Thai army has indicated it will boycott the forthcoming Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting with Cambodia, scheduled to take place in Poi Pet on Friday and Saturday.
Thailand had required that its neighbour submit its plan by yesterday, ahead of Friday’s evacuation deadline, as set by the Sa Kaeo governor following a series of confrontations between Cambodian protesters and Thai crowd control personnel last month.
The latter resorted to tear gas and rubber bullets as the protest turned rowdy, with accusations made that Phnom Penh was using “human shield” tactics.
It’s understood that the Cambodian villagers are originally those who fled the civil war in the 1970s and took shelter at Nong Chan, which was designated as Camp 511.
When the war was over three decades later, these Cambodians did not return to their homeland, while their families had largely extended. It’s reported that about 200 Cambodian families are living on an area spanning over 190 rai of land.
The Nong Chan problem had lingered on for decades until August, when it suddenly escalated into a conflict hotspot, following the violent clashes between the two armies in Surin and other areas in southern Isan provinces. The area drew the attention of some ultra-nationalist Thais who demanded tough action against the long-standing land occupation, threatening local authorities that they would face Section 157, which penalises state officials for dereliction of duty.
Then there is the issue of geography. It should be noted that all information and infographics on the Nong Chan issue are provided by the Thai army, which insists that the hotspot, as well as portions of land in Nong Ya Kaeo and Ta Phraya districts, are located on Thai soil. However, some scholars say there are some overlapping claim areas that need to be verified.
Only yesterday, Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, the Royal Thai Army’s spokesperson, acknowledged on the army’s official webpage that a small land plot on Cambodian soil could be occupied by Thais for farming.
The question is: Why not thoroughly verify such claims or doubts before taking harsh action? Boycotting the meeting may not be in Thailand’s best interests. The Thai authorities must maintain open lines of communication, join the RBC, and continue to press for their demands. Any differences should be settled at the negotiating table.
At least, when Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanich attended the General Border Committee meeting in Koh Kong last month, he expressed his confidence that the Nong Chan issue could be managed in the mutual interest of both parties. This is only possible if both sides are willing to move forward.
Expelling people who have lived in specific areas for generations could prove too difficult. Academic experts have suggested that other practical options should be explored, such as land swaps, following a successful model practised by Thailand and Malaysia decades ago.
It’s time for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to exercise his leadership and stop making short-term gains through ultranationalist measures. Such acts are driven by a hope for popularity, which pushes the country nowhere. He must provide proper guidelines to local authorities, ensuring that they keep all bilateral mechanisms in place.