ID :
177935
Tue, 04/26/2011 - 10:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/177935
The shortlink copeid
Thailand wants peaceful co-existence with neighbours: DPM
BANGKOK, April 26 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban insisted on Tuesday that Thailand wants peaceful co-existence with neighbouring countries, including Cambodia, and has remained firm on its national stance of no intrusion into or attack on neighbours first.
In response to reports that Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya would soon propose a degradation of bilateral relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh amid renewed border clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops since last Friday, resulting in several casualties on both sides, Suthep, who oversees national security, told journalists that he had not been informed of the proposal and it had not yet been raised before the Thai Cabinet.
Suthep said that the proposed idea should be the Thai foreign minister's personal opinion, noting that the Thai government has maintained a policy of peaceful co-existence with neighbouring countries and of using bilateral negotiations to solve unsettled issues with Cambodia and other neighbours.
The Thai deputy premier revealed that the Thai government has no intended policy to close all border passes along the Thai-Cambodian frontier, as it will affect innocent people, the Thai administration, however, will go ahead with regular military drills but it will never order the Thai military to launch attacks on any neighbouring country first although the Thai armed forces will act in self-defence, if necessary.
The Thai deputy prime minister also dismissed reports that Cambodian Premier Hun Sen was sick and refused to give any comment on Cambodia's reportedly triggering the new spate of crossfire in the vicinity of the ancient Ta Kwai Temple near Thailand's northeastern Surin Province, rather than at a contentious area adjacent to the Preah Vihear Temple near Thailand's Si Sa Ket Province where the previous round of border clashes took place in February this year. (TNA)
In response to reports that Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya would soon propose a degradation of bilateral relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh amid renewed border clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops since last Friday, resulting in several casualties on both sides, Suthep, who oversees national security, told journalists that he had not been informed of the proposal and it had not yet been raised before the Thai Cabinet.
Suthep said that the proposed idea should be the Thai foreign minister's personal opinion, noting that the Thai government has maintained a policy of peaceful co-existence with neighbouring countries and of using bilateral negotiations to solve unsettled issues with Cambodia and other neighbours.
The Thai deputy premier revealed that the Thai government has no intended policy to close all border passes along the Thai-Cambodian frontier, as it will affect innocent people, the Thai administration, however, will go ahead with regular military drills but it will never order the Thai military to launch attacks on any neighbouring country first although the Thai armed forces will act in self-defence, if necessary.
The Thai deputy prime minister also dismissed reports that Cambodian Premier Hun Sen was sick and refused to give any comment on Cambodia's reportedly triggering the new spate of crossfire in the vicinity of the ancient Ta Kwai Temple near Thailand's northeastern Surin Province, rather than at a contentious area adjacent to the Preah Vihear Temple near Thailand's Si Sa Ket Province where the previous round of border clashes took place in February this year. (TNA)
