Senior officials visit Si Sa Ket's border ahead of ruling
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With the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling on the Preah Vihear case expected next Monday, high-ranking officials have headed to the border province of Si Sa Ket to allay concerns among local people.
Foreign Affairs Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Nuttavudh Photisaro downplayed concerns that the ICJ would award the disputed area of 4.6 square metres to Cambodia.
“I personally believe that the ICJ won’t rule that way,” he said at an academic seminar in Si Sa Ket.
The event attracted a number of locals who were anxious about the upcoming ruling and its ramifications.
Weerayut Duangkaew, a kamnan in Kantharalak district, asked about how locals should prepare themselves. Apart from tension along the border, he said local villagers were also worried about demonstration.
Nattavudh reckoned that if the ICJ fully ruled in favour of Cambodia, Thais could feel hurt and upset. However, he said Thailand and Cambodia had already agreed to the rights to expression and would discuss the issue through the Joint Boundary Commission.
He explained that the ICJ ruling did not spell the end.
He told people not to erupt in joy if the ICJ ruled in Thailand’s favour nor pointed the fingers at anyone if the ICJ ruled in Cambodia’s favour.
“What’s matter most is how we should proceed further and how to move ahead and main the good ties between the neighbours,” he said.
