Thailand bound by new sanctions
Cargo containers headed to North Korea will be subject to closer inspections. |
Thailand is bound by tough new sanctions passed yesterday by the United Nations against North Korea. According to the UN resolution, trade between North Korea and Thailand must be governed by tough new restrictions, including closer inspection of cargoes and possible bans on trade by groups or individuals to be named by the United Nations in the next few days.
The sanctions were adopted yesterday by a majority vote by the Security Council, and were especially notable because it was the first time that China has joined the world call for harsh sanctions against its ally and former wartime partner.
The UN demands directly address known trade between North Korea and Thailand, and seek to close down the sort of international cheating for which Pyongyang has long exploited Thailand.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kitti Wasinond said that Thailand welcomes the sanctions on North Korea, and promised to enforce them.
''We wish to see real and constructive action from North Korea to reach a peaceful solution to the nuclear crisis,'' he said.
Thailand and North Korea established diplomatic ties in 1975.
Thailand imported North Korean goods worth 4.9 billion baht ($133 million) and exported goods worth 8.3 billion baht ($222 million) to the hermit regime in 2004, the most recent year for which full figures for legal trade are available.
Known smuggling attempts by North Korea through Thailand include massive shipments of chemicals used in the suspected North Korean methamphetamine drug trade; three successful attempts to smuggle nuclear weapons components through Thailand and detection in other ports, and moving North Korean diplomats, officials and spies on known terrorist missions.
These included a massive bomb attack which killed and wounded 67 people in Burma in 1983, and the bombing of a South Korean airliner off the coast of southern Thailand that killed all 115 aboard in 1987. Two of the eight paragraphs of the UN sanctions will impact most heavily on Thailand.
The sanctions resolution says that the UN ''calls upon countries to take 'cooperative' action through inspection of cargo to and from North Korea to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and related materials.''
Ships to North Korea regularly pass through the port of Bangkok, and in the past have been found on at least three occasions later to be smuggling equipment meant for the North Korean nuclear programme.
Thailand now will be responsible for tighter inspection.
In addition, the UN sanctions demand that all countries:
ban shipment of luxury goods to North Korea.
freeze funds and accounts owned by North Koreans involved in weapons of mass destruction, and
ban travel by North Koreans to be named by the United Nations as involved in the nuclear or other illegal programmes.
Thailand is a top transit point for North Koreans travelling abroad. Pyongyang purchases many luxury goods in Thailand for shipment to North Korea, and it is known that North Koreans have multiple banking and financial accounts in Thailand. All of these must come under close inspection and possible ban by Thailand.
Burma may also be affected by the UN sanctions, and may also be a test of how tightly China intends to turn the screws on Pyongyang.
resolution
a formal decision taken at a meeting by means of a vote
restrictions
official rules limiting what you can or can't do or the amount or size of something
cargoes
goods carried by a ship or plane
ban
not allowing something; prohibition
notable
important or interesting; worthy of notice
ally
a country that has an agreement with another country to support it, especially in a war
exploited
used unfairly to gain an advantage
enforce
to make sure a rule or law is obeyed
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constructive
useful and helpful
diplomatic ties
formal relations between countries
smuggling
illegally and secretly taking goods into or out of a country
components
parts
detection
the discovery of something that has been hidden
diplomats
senior officials who represent their own country in dealings with another country
massive
very large; huge
wounded
injured
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impact on
affect
cooperative
working together and helping each other
inspection
checking something very carefully
illicit
illegal
trafficking
buying and selling something illegal
luxury goods
things you buy that are expensive and unnecessary but which give you pleasure
funds
amounts of money
transit
the area where people wait or where goods are kept between different stages of a journey
turn the screws on
to apply pressure
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