Life on the border returns to normal
ALL 47 SCHOOLS in the border province of Si Sa Ket reopened yesterday as there was no backlash from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on Preah Vihear Temple.
The schools, all in Si Sa Ket’s Ban Kraud district, were closed on Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday, teachers and students said they were relieved and happy that Thailand had, so far, not lost any territory or sovereignty as speculated by critics and analysts.
The only negative occurrence in relation to Preah Vihear yesterday was the death of Tri Narin, governor of Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province, in a road accident while he was heading for a press conference on the ICJ ruling.
The accident took place across from Thailand’s Sa Kaew province, when the governor’s vehicle slammed into the back of a large truck, possibly because his driver had fallen asleep, news reports said.
Traders and tourism operators in Chanthaburi, meanwhile, said everything, including border trade, had returned to normal with Thai and Cambodian vendors setting up stalls.
Teacher Damrong Samphan said he expected bilateral relations to resume without any disputes or clashes taking place.
