General news

Border talks between Thai and Cambodian diplomats are taking place in what was described as a "good" atmosphere.

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Bonds start to mend in Bogor 

Progress made on issue of Indonesian observers

Thanida Tansubhapol & Wassana Nanuam

Thai envoy Asda Jayanama greeted Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, then spent two apparently fruitful hours in head-to-head bilateral discussions with Cambodian counterpart Var Kimhong at Joint Boundary Commission talks in Bogor. (Reuters photo)

Thailand and Cambodia have resumed Joint Boundary Commission talks in Indonesia to try to resolve their border spat which has seen bilateral relations plunge to their lowest point in years.

Former ambassador Asda Jayanama and Cambodia's top border negotiator Var Kimhong co-chaired the two-day meeting in Bogor from yesterday.

At the meeting, which will be concluded today, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to work jointly on three issues to support border demarcation, said Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

"Thailand and Cambodia have reached agreements to prepare for the survey of border posts 1 to 23 in Surin and Si Saket provinces; to select a company to take aerial photos of the disputed border line; and to conduct a study on the opening of a new border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo, opposite Stung Bot in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province," Mr Chavanond said.

The three resolutions would be put in the record of discussion to be released today. But they would not be implemented until the Thai parliament endorsed the three minutes of the 2008 and 2009 JBC meetings, he said.

"The atmosphere [of the JBC meeting] was good," Mr Chavanond said. "However, Mr Var Kimhong has stressed that Cambodia wants to see the three JBC minutes get parliamentary endorsement so negotiations on other issues could proceed."

Meanwhile, Mr Kasit yesterday said his ministry would take over from the Defence Ministry the task of defining the roles of Indonesian observers and the locations along the Thai-Cambodian border where they would be posted.

The ministry originally only had responsibility for extending diplomatic immunity to the observers while they were stationed in Thailand.

The transfer of responsibility was decided on after Mr Kasit talked to Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on the phone on Wednesday.

Thailand and Cambodia agreed at their meeting in Jakarta on Feb 22 to accept Indonesian observers to be stationed along their common border.

The move has upset the Thai military which announced on Tuesday it would not allow the observers to enter the disputed area.

But Mr Kasit said he had agreed with Phnom Penh and Jakarta that Indonesian observers could inspect the area. Fifteen Indonesian observers would be deployed in Thailand and 15 in Cambodia.

They would be allowed to approach the disputed area but would not be permitted to enter it. They must not be armed or wear military uniform, and must arrive as diplomats.

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bonds – close connections joining two or more people ความผูกพัน
mend – to repair a relationship ปรองดองกันอีก
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
observer – a person who watches what happens but has no active part in it; a person who watches and analyses a situation ผู้สังเกตการณ์,ผู้ออกความเห็น
resume – to begin again after stopping for a period of time  เริ่มอีกครั้ง, กลับมาอีกครั้ง
bilateral – involving two groups or countries สองข้าง, เกี่ยวกับกลุ่มทางการเมืองสองกลุ่ม
counterpart – someone who has the same job or purpose as another person or thing, but in a different country, time, situation, or organisation  ผู้ที่ทำงานประเภทเดียวกัน; ผู้ที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งเสมอกัน
joint – done together; belonging to or shared between two or more people ที่ร่วมกัน, ความร่วมมือกัน
boundary – a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something  เขตแดน,เส้นแบ่งเขต
commission – a group of people who have been formally chosen to discover information about a problem or examine the reasons why the problem exists คณะกรรมการ, คณะกรรมาธิการ
resolve – to solve a problem, or to find a satisfactory way of dealing with it  แก้ไขปัญหา
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
spat – an argument or disagreement, especially over something that seems unimportant เรื่องทะเลาะเบาะแว้ง ในเรื่องไม่เป็นเรื่อง
plunge – to fall quickly from a high position ดิ่งลงมา
ambassador – a senior official who lives in a foreign country and represents his or her own country there เอกอัครราชทูต
negotiator – a person who to try to reach an agreement by discussing something in a formal way ผู้เจรจา
envoy – someone who is sent as a representative from one government or organization to another ทูต
apparently – based only on what you have heard or think, not on what you are certain is true; seemingly ตามที่ได้รู้มา
fruitful – producing many useful results ให้ผลดี, ได้ผลสำเร็จ
head-to-head – in which two people or groups face each other directly in order to decide the result of a disagreement or competitionต่อหน้า, เผชิญหน้ากัน
conclude – to finish; to complete an official agreement or task, or arrange a business deal  จบ
demarcation – the process of deciding the limits of something, especially the borders of an area การปักเขต, การกำหนดเขต
survey – the act of examining and recording the measurements, features, etc. of an area of land สำรวจ, หาข้อมูล
post – a piece of wood or metal that is set in the ground in a vertical position, especially to support something or to mark a point หลัก
aerial – (of a photograph) from a plane ภาพถ่ายทางอากาศ
disputed (area) – of an area claimed by two or more countries, groups or people  พื้นที่ที่เป็นกรณีพิพาท
conduct – to carry out — ดำเนิน
resolution – an official decision that is made after a group or organisation have voted or carried out a discussion มติ
record – a written account of something that is kept so that it can be looked at and used in the future บันทึก, รายงาน
release – to allow something to be shown or known to the public or to be available for use เปิดเผย, ปล่อยข่าว
implement – to make something such as an idea, plan, system or law start to work and be used นำมาใช้
endorsed – officially approved รับรอง
minutes – a summary or record of what is said or decided at a formal meeting รายงานการประชุม
atmosphere – the mood or feeling that exists in a place บรรยากาศ
stress – to emphasise something; to say that something is important เน้นย้ำ
proceed – to continue as planned ดำเนินการ
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
task – something that you have to do หน้าที่; ภารกิจ
define – to describe clearly and exactly what something is  กำหนด,  ระบุ, ทำให้ชัดเจน
role – the position or purpose that someone or something has in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท
location – where someone or something is ที่ตั้ง,ทำเล
post – the place where somebody, especially soldiers, do their job ที่มั่น
originally – the situation that existed at the beginning of a particular period or activity, especially before something was changed อย่างเป็นอันแรก, โดยแรกเริ่ม
responsibility – a duty ความรับผิดชอบ, ความรับผิดชอบ
extend – to offer or give something to somebody ให้กับ, มอบ...ให้...
diplomatic immunity –  a situation where someone working for a foreign embassy cannot be taken to court and punished for breaking the law in the country where he/she is working ความคุ้มกันทางทูต
station – to cause, especially soldiers, to be in a particular place to do a job ตั้งฐานปฎิบัติการ,ตั้งประจำ
transfer – to officially arrange for someone else to take responsibility for something โอน
common – done or shared by two or more people ที่ร่วมกัน
upset – very worried, angry or sad about something  ทำให้หงุดหงิด
inspect – to look at something carefully ตรวจสอบ
deploy –to put in place ready for action ส่ง (ทหารตำรวจ) ประจำการ
approach – to move closer to someone or something เข้าใกล้
permit – to allow someone to do something อนุญาต, อนุมัติ, ยินยอม
armed – carrying a weapon  ติดอาวุธ
diplomat – an official whose job is to represent their government in a foreign country นักการทูต