Thai Oppositions against Troops Withdrawal

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Civic Group Rallies against World Court's Order

UPDATE : 5 January 2012

A civic group in the Northeast has rallied to voice its opposition against the withdrawal of Thai troops from the Preah Vihear border, as it could threathen Thailand's sovereignty. Core leaders belonging to a civic network called Ruam Palang Pokpongphandin from five provinces in the lower part of the Northeast comprised of Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Ubon Ratchathani provinces staged a rally to express disapproval of the International Court of Justice's order on Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw troops from the overlapping area of 17.3 square kilometers near Phrea Vihear Temple. The group said the order could threathen Thailand in losing its sovereignty. Thailand could also lose a 798 square-kilometer of land along the Thai-Cambodia borderline and another 27,000 square-kilometer area of land surrounding the Gulf of Thailand, which contains natural energy resources worth 5 trillion baht. The protesters called on the armed forces to protect the country's territory and not to remove troops from Preah Vihear area according to the court's order. The group then rallied around downtown Buri Ram to raise awareness about the protecting of the country's ownership of the Preah Vihear area before submitting a statement with the provincial army. In Nakhon Ratchasima, about 50 protesters from the same civic network gathered outside the headquarters of the Region 2 Army to submit their petition with its chief Lieutenant General Tawathchai Samutsakhon, asking him not to withdraw troops from Preah Vihear border. Members of the group in three other provinces carried out similar moves, asking their residents and military officers not to allow the loss of even a square inch of land over the disputed territory.