Let Yingluck decide | Bangkok Post: learning

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We’re not going anywhere, outgoing PM Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday, despite the ICJ ruling requiring troops to leave the Preah Viharn temple area. It’s up to the next government to decide.

Thai soldiers have no immediate plans to withdraw from the area declared a demilitarised zone by the International Court of Justice.

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Abhisit passes ICJ torch

Next govt to decide on bilateral Cambodia talks

PRADIT RUANGDIT
NOPPARAT KINGKAEO
PRASIT TANGPRASERT

Outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the decision on bilateral negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia to comply with the International Court of Justice’s ruling will rest with the next government.

Mr Abhisit discussed the implication of the court’s verdict ordering both Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw troops from a provisional demilitarised zone which the court defined around the Preah Vihear temple with security authorities, the Foreign Ministry and the Council of State yesterday.

He ordered foreign affairs and defence officials to set directions for negotiations to take place.

Mr Abhisit said he hopes the new government will follow the direction to be proposed by the authorities and that the new government will do its best to protect Thai territory.

For the time being, Mr Abhisit insisted that Thai soldiers would stay in their present locations to protect the areas Thailand considers its territory.

He said the court’s order for a troop withdrawal concerns many people in both Thailand and Cambodia. After the meeting, Mr Abhisit said the demilitarised zone drawn up by the ICJ covers an area of 17.3 square kilometres and reaches deeper into both sides of the watershed line that Thailand viewed as its border with Cambodia.

According to Mr Abhisit, the DMZ comprises 8.5 sq km of Thai soil and 8.8 sq km of Cambodian soil.

The Thai part includes 4.5 sq km of the 4.6-sq km disputed area surrounding Preah Vihear temple.

Sources familiar with the court procedure said this was the first time the court specified a map for both parties to work on.

The reason could be that the court believes with each side holding on to its own territorial claims, Thailand and Cambodia would not talk to each other to end the conflict.

The sources said they do not understand what basis the world court used to draw the DMZ.

That the troops-free zone is larger than the 4.6 sq km disputed area could mean the court did not want to rule on the boundary issue yet or to disappoint either country, the sources said.

According to Mr Abhisit, Cambodia would have to pull about 4,000 soldiers from the zone if it is to honour the court’s provisional measure. The number of Thai soldiers to be pulled out was much smaller, he said.

The PM indicated that a process must be established to assure that Cambodia would not send its military personnel to the DMZ again. This includes a means to detect if soldiers are sent into the area in civilian guise.

The setting up of the DMZ is a temporary measure to reduce the risk of clashes while the court considers Cambodia’s request for reinterpretation of the 1962 ruling which awarded it Preah Vihear, he said.

Sources said the Monday ruling which demanded Cambodia to also pull its soldiers from the area must be disappointing for the country.

‘‘Cambodia has refused to withdraw military personnel from the temple even though it was required by the 1999 memorandum of understanding signed by both countries and despite repeated requests by Thailand,’’ the sources said.

You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/ntvzlT

immediate – happening or done now, without any delay ทันทีทันใด
withdraw – to take away ถอน
declare – to announce officially that something is true or happening ประกาศ
demilitarised zone – an area where military forces are not allowed to operate เขตปลอดทหาร
pass the torch – to let someone else do the work that you were doing or support the ideas that you supported
bilateral – involving two groups or countries สองข้าง, เกี่ยวกับกลุ่มทางการเมืองสองกลุ่ม
negotiations – formal discussion in which people or groups try to reach an agreement การเจรจาต่อรอง
comply – to obey a rule or law or do what someone asks you to do  ปฏิบัติตาม (กฎหมาย, ข้อเสนอ, etc.)
ruling – a decision by a court of law คำตัดสิน คำชี้ขาด
implication – the effect that an action or decision will have on something else in the future การเกี่ยวพัน,ความหมาย,ความเกี่ยวข้อง
verdict – a decision by a court of law คำพิพากษา
troops – soldiers, especially in large numbers กองทหาร
provisional – for the present time but likely to change; temporary ชั่วคราว,เฉพาะกาล
define – to describe clearly and exactly what something is  กำหนด,  ระบุ, ทำให้ชัดเจน
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
Council of State – an official organisation that advises the government on proposed laws and other legal matters คณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกาและสำนักงานคณะกรรมการกฤษฎีกา
propose – to suggest an idea for a group to consider เสนอ
territory – land which is considered as belonging to or connected with a particular country or person ดินแดน
for the time being – for the present time, but probably not for a long time พลาง
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
location – where someone or something is ที่ตั้ง,ทำเล
concern – to cause to worry ทำให้กังวล
watershed – a line of high land where streams on one side flow into one river, and streams on the other side flow into a different river บริเวณลุ่มน้ำ
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
comprise – to consist or be made up of two or more things ประกอบด้วย
soil – land owned by a country พื้นดิน
disputed area – an area claimed by two or more countries, groups or people  พื้นที่ที่เป็นกรณีพิพาท
surrounding – all around a place  บริเวณรอบๆ
source – someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
procedure – a way of doing something  ขั้นตอนการดำเนินการ
specify – to explain something in an exact and detailed way ระบุ  ชี้แจงรายละเอียด
party – one of the people or groups of people involved in an official argument, arrangement or similar situation คู่กรณี
claim – saying say that you have the right to have or own something, especially land or property การอ้างสิทธิ
conflict – an angry disagreement between people or groups ความขัดแย้ง
basis – the important ideas, facts, or actions from which something can develop – รากฐาน, หลักพื้นฐาน, หลัก
boundary – a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something  เขตแดน,เส้นแบ่งเขต
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
disappoint – to fail to satisfy someone or their hopes, desires, etc.; to cause someone to feel unhappy ทำให้ผิดหวัง
honour – to do what you promised to do ทำตามสัญญา
measure – an action taken to solve a particular problem มาตรการ
indicate – to show that something is true, exists or will happen แสดง, ทำให้รู้
process – a series of actions that you take in order to achieve a result แนวทางปฏิบัติ, กระบวน, วิธีการ
establish – to start something, in this case, a process สร้าง, ก่อตั้ง, จัดตั้ง
assure – to tell something that something is true or will definitely happen ให้ความมั่นใจ, ยืนยัน
means – methods; ways วิธี, วิธีการ
detect – to notice, to discover or find out พบได้, สังเกต
civilian – of someone who does not belong to the armed forces or the police พลเรือน
guise – a way in which somebody/something appears, often in a way that is different from usual or that hides the truth about them/it  ลักษณะภายนอก
temporary – done or used for only a limited period of time ชั่วคราว
reduce – to make something smaller or less in amount, size, importance etc ลดลง
risk – the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen ความเสี่ยง
clash – a fight or battle between two groups of people การต่อสู้ด้วยกำลัง
reinterpretation – to revise a previous explanation of the meaning or importance of something การตีความใหม่
refuse – to say you will not do something that someone has asked you to do ปฏิเสธ
memorandum of understanding (MOU) – a document used to describe a form of a written agreement between two or more groups, countries, etc. The document is not as strong as a contract but outlines a commitment between the two to work together toward the same purpose or goals

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