THAI CAMBODIAN BORDER DISPUTE: THAI CLAIM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002854 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV TH CB SUBJECT: THAI CAMBODIAN BORDER DISPUTE: THAI CLAIM CAMBODIAN VIOLATION OF SOVEREIGNTY REF: A. BANGKOK 2487 ¶B. BANGKOK 2464 ¶C. STATE 86724 ¶D. BANGKOK 2428 ¶E. PHNOM PENH 679 Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: MFA Permanent Secretary Virasakdi Futrakul engaged the Ambassador September 16 regarding the Thai-Cambodian border dispute and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's September 15 reported comments that Thailand should give up the chair of ASEAN. Virasakdi claimed that border tensions had been exacerbated after Cambodia moved troops into the Ta Kwai temple on the border of Surin Province. Thai Army contacts gave us a similar story, claiming that Cambodia had moved regular Army troops into the area of Ta Kwai and Ta Muen temples in a provocation designed to justify an appeal to third-party, international mediation. ¶2. (C) Comment: We recommend the U.S. position on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute remain that this is an issue that should be solved bilaterally, not through recourse to the UNSC. Thai-Cambodian border tensions remain high despite apparent progress made during August 18-19 meetings (reftel A) regarding the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen temples between the then-Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. Due to the distraction of the ongoing political tensions in Bangkok, the Thai parliament has not yet approved the interim agreement that would move forward discussions on troop redeployment and border demarcation. As such, Thailand and Cambodia have not been able to test the progress achieved last month. Meanwhile, efforts by both sides to probe abilities to respond/control access elsewhere along the border appear to be underway. Hun Sen's public questioning of whether Thailand was suitable to chair ASEAN hit a sore spot with the RTG, and will likely set back efforts to restore trust between the two sides. End Summary and Comment. The Diplomatic view... -------------- ¶3. (C) MFA PermSec Virasakdi claimed to Ambassador September 16 that Cambodia had recently violated Thai sovereignty by moving approximately seventy soldiers into the Ta Kwai temple (Ta Krabey in Khmer). According to the RTG, the temple is located in Surin Province approximately thirteen kilometers from the Ta Muen temple also under dispute. The RTG claims that the temple is in Thai territory on the Thai side of the watershed, adjacent to areas to be surveyed and demarcated by the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC). Virasakdi previewed to Ambassador his plans to meet with the Cambodian Ambassador to Thailand and present an Aide-Memoire protesting Cambodia's violation of Thailand's sovereignty, a move subsequently reported in the Thai press. ¶4. (U) Diplomatic missions in Bangkok received a fact sheet from the MFA later September 16. According to the fact sheet, a Cambodian military unit of approximately thirty soldiers on August 3 encroached on Thai territory in the area of the Ta Kwai temple. Following discussions between the militaries of both sides at the local level, the Cambodian unit withdrew August 6. On September 6, however, more than seventy Cambodian troops once again intruded into Thai territory and had occupied the Ta Kwai temple and its vicinity. The Thai side informed the Cambodian troops that they were in Thai territory and requested they withdraw from the area, but Cambodian forces disregarded the request. The Thai then deployed a paramilitary group of approximately thirty-five troops to the area. The Thai Second Army Region Commander held consultations September 13-14 with his Cambodian counterpart, after which troops on both sides redeployed away from each other. Currently, no troops from either side are in the temple. However, both sides agreed to BANGKOK 00002854 002 OF 002 maintain a small number of troops in the area. ¶5. (C) Thai officials reacted badly to Hun Sen's reported challenging of Thailand's credentials to serve as ASEAN Chair, telling us and the media that the remarks were insulting and out of line. The RTG had interpreted Hun Sen's statement as related to the continuing Thai-Cambodian border conflict. Opposition Democrat Party MP Kraisak Choonhaven, who played a key role in changing Thai policy towards Cambodia in the direction of engagement when he served as a maverick young adviser to his father PM Chatchai Choonhaven from 1988-91, sputtered to us September 17: "Who the hell does that butcher think he is challenging our credentials?" (note: According to the press reports, Hun Sen reportedly said "Thailand is in political turmoil but is chairing ASEAN. I think it would be difficult for Bangkok to hold an ASEAN summit." End Note). ...and the Military one -------------- ¶6. (C) Royal Thai Army Director of Intelligence Colonel Terdsak Dumkhum told us September 16 that the Ta Kwai temple area has been jointly patrolled by Thai and Cambodian paramilitary troops for many years. The RTG had recently become alarmed, however, after Cambodia moved regular troops to occupy the temple. Cambodia withdrew troops from the temple after negotiations between local commanders, but the Cambodian regular soldiers remain stationed near the temple grounds. Terdsak claimed that Thai paramilitary troops were the only Thai forces in the area of the temple. ¶7. (C) Regarding Ta Muen, Terdsak said the RTG maintained that this temple was in Thai territory. Thai paramilitary troops had patrolled the temple for many years. Thailand allowed Cambodian citizens to visit the temple, but Cambodians needed to travel through Thai territory in order to access the temple, Terdsak said. A local Cambodian troop commander had recently tried to send Cambodian troops to the temple, but the Thai paramilitary troops had refused to allow the troops to enter. The local Thai commander had told the Cambodian commander that the temple was open to all civilian visitors, but that the Cambodian military would not be permitted into the temple. Terdsak told us that the RTA viewed the Cambodian actions at Ta Kwai and Ta Muen as provocations intended to try to create a situation that would draw UN Security Council consideration of the border disputes. JOHN