Kingdom advised to play the 'good child' in border dispute
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Thailand's legal advisers in a boundary dispute with Cambodia have advised the Kingdom to "act as a good child" to convince the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the country is cooperative, a senior government figure said yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha said the three unnamed foreign legal experts, who are visiting Thailand at the Foreign Ministry’s invitation, suggested the country pay close attention to and strictly follow orders by the ICJ, commonly known as the World Court.
“The legal advisers told Thailand to make the World Court feel that we are listening to it. We should act as a ‘good child’ before the World Court,” Yuthasak said.
He said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday showed much interest in the case and stressed that the advisers’ suggestions should be taken into consideration in the country’s legal battle.
According to the deputy premier, the ICJ told Thailand to submit its written arguments in the case, involving a disputed area next to the ancient Preah Vihear temple, by the end of June, after Cambodia had sent its statement in writing to the court.
Yuthasak expected the trial phase of the case to begin late this year or early next year, with the verdict likely to be announced some time next year.
Yuthasak, the deputy premier in charge of security affairs, was speaking after a meeting with the prime minister, commanders-in-chief of the armed forces, Defence Minister ACM Sukampol Suwannathat, Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul, the foreign legal advisers, and representatives from other security agencies. The meeting at Government House lasted more than two hours.
The foreign advisers were asked to comment on Thailand’s case and for suggestions on what the government and the security agencies should do.
Yuthasak said the advisers were briefed on the current border situation and the geographical nature of the disputed area. They would later meet with Foreign Ministry officials to discuss the case further, before returning to The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICJ is located.
