Cambodia Premiership of Abhisit Vejjajiva

1 cambodia

1.1 preah vihear , border conflict
1.2 recall of ambassadors
1.3 use of cluster munitions

cambodia
preah vihear , border conflict

on 8 july 2008, un world heritage committee added prasat preah vihear world heritage site list. people s alliance democracy (pad) claimed gave cambodia de facto sovereignty on disputed territory adjacent temple, , used claim launch large nationalist protests against government of somchai wongsawat.

after abhisit rose power, appointed kasit piromya foreign minister. prior appointment, former diplomat led pad s anti-cambodia protests. during pad s siege , occupation of suvarnabhumi airport, kasit reportedly said use hun sen s blood wash feet, recalling historic incident king naresuan of siam did same king lovek of cambodia. in 2008 television interview, called cambodian prime minister hun sen crazy , slave , , nak leng (commonly translated gangster ). after appointment, later wrote hun sen, saying misunderstanding, , nak leng meant person lionhearted, courageous , magnanimous gentleman.

in april 2009, fighting erupted between thai , cambodian troops near preah vihear. @ least 2 thai soldiers , 2 cambodian soldiers killed. cambodian government claimed army had killed @ least 4 thai soldiers , captured 10 more, thai government denied thai soldiers killed or injured. both armies blamed other firing first , denied entering other s territory.

fighting escalated in early-february 2011, when thai forces allegedly used banned cluster munitions against cambodian villages. 3 thais , 8 cambodians killed , dozens of people wounded in bloodiest border fighting in 2 decades. part of asean-brokered ceasefire deal, thailand , cambodia agreed on 22 february allow unarmed military observers indonesia posted along border. thai government later reneged on agreement, refusing allow foreigners border areas. there s [bilateral] mechanism in place, there s no need run crying asean or international community, foreign minister kasit proclaimed.

fighting further escalated on 22 april 2011, leaving @ least 5 dead near ta moan , ta krabey temples 140 153 kilometers west of preah vihear. both sides claimed other side fired first. cambodia accused thai military of again firing cluster munitions villages, time 20 kilometers inside cambodia. cambodia accused thais of using chemical weapons. accusations rejected thai military. cambodian defence ministry spokesman chhum socheat claimed thai artillery landed more 20 kilometers inside cambodian territory. on 25,000 thais , on 23,000 cambodians evacuated. fighting continued , 26 april had expanded area around preah vihear temple. army chief prayut chan-o-cha revealed cabinet discussions underway on whether declare war cambodia. plans ministerial-level talks on 27 april cancelled thailand on evening of 26th.

on 25 june, thailand withdrew world heritage convention. suwit khunkitti, head of thai delegation unesco, claimed following withdrawal, world heritage committee no longer force thailand comply decisions. withdrawal occurred after 5 days of negotiations between thailand, cambodia, , world heritage committee, during thai delegation staged walkout. after walkout, committee reaffirmed need ensure protection , conservation of temple site damage , further encouraged thailand , cambodia use convention tool support conservation, sustainable development, , dialogue. thailand s withdrawal occurred afterwards.

recall of ambassadors

in november 2009, cambodia announced thaksin shinawatra had been appointed special advisor cambodian government , cambodian prime minister hun sen. thaksin had been residing in exile in dubai, , continued live there after appointment. on 5 november 2009, abhisit recalled thailand s ambassador cambodia in protest. abhisit said cambodia interfering in thailand s internal affairs , result bilateral co-operation agreements reviewed. in retaliation, cambodia announced withdrawing ambassador thailand. sok an, member of council of ministers , deputy prime minister of cambodia, said thaksin s appointment decision internal cambodia. looking forward learning thaksin s great economic experience , convinced experience contribute our country s economic development, said cambodia government spokesman. mutual withdrawal of ambassadors severe diplomatic action have occurred between 2 countries since franco-thai war of 1940–41 during thailand regained preah vihear.

the increase in tensions between cambodia , thailand caused abhisit s popularity skyrocket, support tripling according 1 poll after diplomatic ties downgraded. however, rise in popularity short-lived, , fell dramatically. when crisis flared again in february 2011, people s alliance democracy demanded abhisit step down.

in august 2010, thaksin resigned economic advisor cambodian government. abhisit normalized relations cambodia. both countries sent ambassadors.

use of cluster munitions

in february border clashes cambodian security forces, thai army accused cluster munition coalition (cmc) of firing cluster munitions cambodian village. according coalition, first confirmed use of cluster munitions anywhere in world since convention on cluster munitions banning weapons became international law. government later admitted using dual-purpose improved conventional munition (dpicm), denied cluster munitions. however, cmc claimed dpicms classic example of cluster munitions under convention. abhisit s government repeatedly denied military had cluster munitions in arsenal, although admitted had weapons similar features cluster munitions. abhisit s spokesman claimed thai government had right categorise weapons differently militaries in other countries. cmc s investigation found thai cluster bomb had killed 2 cambodian policemen during february clashes , warned thousands of people remained @ risk unexploded bomblets in several villages along border.

the governments of norway , uk condemned thai government use of cluster munitions. condemn in strongest terms use of cluster munitions causes unacceptable harm civilian population, said uk foreign , commonwealth office in statement. these weapons kill , maim civilians , have unacceptable humanitarian consequences long after used, said norwegian minister of foreign affairs jonas gahr støre.