PM orders top brass to brief troops on Preah Vihear
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PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday instructed commanders of the armed forces to brief their subordinates on the border dispute concerning Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple, ahead of the international court's ruling scheduled for November 11.
Yingluck gave the instruction during a meeting with the Defence Council, which she chaired in her capacity as defence minister.
Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Yingluck informed the Defence Council on the outcome of Monday’s meeting with government agencies, concerned with making preparations for the Preah Vihear ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) next month.
The spokesman said the Army was instructed to coordinate with the Foreign Ministry and the Royal Thai Police, and update them on the issues that were of concern to people living near the temple on the Thai-Cambodian border.
Thanathip said Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha would visit the Second Army Region to talk to local commanders about the issue.
Colonel Winthai Suwaree, the Army’s deputy spokesman, said the situation on the border near Preah Vihear remained calm.
He said local Army unit commanders would focus on coordinating with their Cambodian counterparts to prevent misunderstandings on either side that could lead to skirmishes during the sensitive time ahead of the ICJ ruling.
Meanwhile, the Tambon Sao Thong Chai Administrative Organisation in Si Sa Ket’s Ganthalak district has told residents of Phumsarol village near Preah Vihear to prepare for any untoward incidents.
Samien Kaensrida, a member of the tambon administrative organisation, said villagers were instructed to clean and check the strength of their bunkers.
The organisation has also surveyed the villagers’ assets in case they need to be compensated for damages after skirmishes.
