Foreign relations Premiership of Abhisit Vejjajiva

1 foreign relations

1.1 myanmar

1.1.1 deep sea port


1.2 japan
1.3 china

1.3.1 thailand-china high-speed train


1.4 cambodia

1.4.1 preah vihear , border conflict
1.4.2 recall of ambassadors
1.4.3 use of cluster munitions


1.5 vietnam
1.6 saudi arabia

foreign relations

abhisit prime minister thein sein of myanmar



abhisit japanese prime minister yukio hatoyama in 2009.



abhisit officials @ pittsburgh international airport.


myanmar

abhisit officially visited myanmar in october 2010 strengthen relationship between 2 countries. abhisit met senior-general shwe promote cordial ties , bilateral development between neighboring countries. meeting covered subjects on rule of law, stability , development in border areas, economy , technology cooperation, boosting bilateral trade , investment, promoting tourism, , building deep-sea port in dawei, myanmar workers in thailand, , internal affairs of both countries.

traders said adding new border trade zones since 2009 has encouraged cross-border trade , maintained border stability. opening of new borders lower illegal trade , boost tourism.

in addition, abhisit hoped myawaddy-mae sot crossing reopen after myanmar had closed checkpoint due internal security problems.

deep sea port

after bilateral meeting between abhisit , prime minister thein sein, 2 premiers agreed jointly develop deep-sea port @ dawei, on myanmar s andaman sea coast. abhisit said port linked new economic zone in region.

experts said port remove trade barriers , shorten distance ships europe, middle east, , africa have travel reach china, thailand, vietnam, , laos. ships travel additional 2,316 kilometers in region because have pass through singapore.

the agreement signed during abhisit s visit myanmar included construction of 160 km (160 miles) of road , rail between kanchanaburi province in thailand , dawei port in myanmar.

italian-thai development pcl ltd expected sign contract construct port myanmar port authority end of november. construction estimated cost 400 billion baht (approximately us$13 billion), includes railway, roads, industrial estates, refinery, , steel mill.

japan

foreign minister katsuya okada affirmed strong ties between japan , thailand, showing still had confidence in thai economy. meeting covered exchange of ideas on different matters, including relationships in trade , investment between 2 countries.

china

hu jintao, chinese leader praised abhisit s ability maintain strong relationship has been established 35 years. after first official visit of abhisit china, president hu declared both of governments support each other in diplomatic relations in region , economics, international trading , investment. abhisit noted transportation system links northern part of thailand , china developed within few years in order strengthen relationship between thai , chinese.

thailand-china high-speed train

thailand , china agreed proceed rail connections connect 2 countries through neighboring laos. plan calls high-speed routes connecting nong khai bangkok , eastwards industrially-driven thai eastern seaboard, third line linking capital country s southern region near malaysian border @ padang basar. planned links aim enhance rising trade flows sparked new china-association of southeast nations (asean) free-trade agreement , facilitate modern infrastructure region s move towards common asean market.

on china s part, build standard railway kunming vientiane, covering distance of 420 km. line link thailand across mekong river nong khai before continuing bangkok , rayong. china says willing provide support in manpower, training, , technology transfer state railway of thailand.

china has said promote thailand tourist destination among chinese. consider buying more rice thailand, while adding rail link allow people in region travel , enhance logistics.

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.

vietnam

abhisit , prime minister of vietnam met on 10 july 2009, discuss how address global economic crisis. abhisit arrived in hanoi one-day visit vietnamese counterpart nguyễn tấn dũng. 2 reviewed honor guard before heading hour-and-half talk behind closed doors. visit contribute expanding , deepening friendship , multifaceted cooperation between vietnam , thailand, dung told guest during five-minute photo opportunity.

in regular press conference on 9 july, foreign ministry spokesman le dung told reporters 2 prime ministers expected discuss how each dealing financial crisis, discuss rice trade, tourism, transport links , protection of mekong river. thailand world s leading exporter of grain while vietnam ranked second. thailand , vietnam important trading partners, , bilateral trade reached us$6.5 billion in 2008. thailand ranked ninth among foreign investors in vietnam, having poured us$6 billion country. vietnam, has recorded average economic growth of 7% on past decade, saw economy expand 3.9% in first half of 2009.

saudi arabia

in august 2008, department of special investigation announced had found suspect murder of several saudi arabian diplomats. sensitive case, had been stalled 20 years due concerns powerful thais implicated in public investigation, had caused severe strain on thai-saudi relations. abu ali (meaning father of ali ), might or might not suspect s real name, described arab. whereabouts unknown. arrest warrant issued , dsi sought aid of interpol in apprehending suspect. dsi claimed had no evidence blue diamond affair blue diamond ever existed in first place. blue diamond @ center of gems theft case presumed have caused murders.

in august 2010, abhisit promoted lieutenant-general somkid boonthanom chief of chiang mai region assistant national police chief. somkid had earlier been indicted murder of mohammad al-ruwaili, saudi assigned investigate blue diamond theft. saudi embassy said in statement:

the embassy concerned learn high ranking officer accused in case further promoted in manner may affect course [of] legal proceedings against defendants...in light of these grave concerns, current efforts , attempts both countries solve pending issues directly affecting restoring bilateral relations may jeopardized.

deputy prime minister suthep thaugsuban said send letter saudis clarify matter. foreign minister kasit piromya met saudi chargé d affaires nabil ashri , announced had explained , no letter necessary. abhisit said foreign ministry provide written explanation, letter had painstakingly translated prevent misinterpretation. however, abhisit met chargé d affaires ashri , gave interview press calling saudis misinformed. in official statement, saudi s blasted abhisit s rhetoric:

mr nabil ashri expressed astonishment news published said meeting h.e. prime minister of thailand portrayed chargé d affairs ill-informed , according h.e. mr. abhisit, seemed have insufficient information matter of promotion of pol. lt. gen. somkid boonthanom.

somkid announced not accept abhisit s promotion. suthep praised somkid sacrifice , said decision make easy solve problem between thailand , saudi arabia.