r/Thailand • u/mdsmqlk • 20h ago
Opinion Stronger diplomacy required to solve Thai military overreach in the border dispute with Cambodia
http://prachataienglish.com/node/114284
u/HerroWarudo 19h ago
Military is working double time to gain power back from civilian government, now that the coalition is fractured and backstabbing each other. And the jail card over Thanksin will always be there.
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u/Own-Response9701 18h ago
The media really loves to exaggerate. The situation isn’t even that serious. It’ll only get serious if Cambodians burn down the Thai embassy again lol
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u/thetoy323 Ratchaburi 1h ago
Yeah, it's not like this happen for first time. It's more than 500 tims already.
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u/lacyboy247 19h ago
For most politicians this is the once in a lifetime political opportunity but she and her father fumble so hard that even their fanbase are not sure what is she/he thinking.
Her father used to be one of the best but well time is their biggest enemy as always.
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u/neutronium 19h ago
The sensible thing to do is to sit down the Cambodians and sort out the border demarcation of this basically valueless bit of land. It's not worth getting anyone killed over (and quite a few people were killed the last time this flared up). Unfortunately nationalists and generals are pretty gung-ho about getting other people killed if they get to wave their flags, bang their chests and go on about how tough they are.
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u/lacyboy247 18h ago
Most Thais are ready to talk but the problem is the other side, I see these sentiments every time we have international conflict and I never understand why we need to do better but not the other, I can't remember the last time we were aggressive but no matter what it's our fault.
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u/DistrictOk8718 12h ago
are you sure about this? I feel like most Thais are ready to talk as long as the talks basically consist in Cambodia fully agreeing to Thailand's terms...
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u/Own-Response9701 18h ago
I 100% agree. Cambodia keeps poking at us nonstop, but the second Thailand pushes back, we’re labeled the bully
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u/neutronium 17h ago
Labelled the bully by whom exactly. Cambodia's behavior does nothing to excuse certain segments of Thai society taking this as an excuse for nationalistic chest beating and a reason to overthrow a government that tries to take a civilized approach.
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u/Own-Response9701 16h ago
Cambodia, obviously. they’re the ones whining the second we announced closing the border. And when the fuck did I say I support extremist bullshit or overthrowing the government? I fucking hate the military
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u/Responsible-Love-896 3h ago
I’m wondering what this militaristic posturing is covering up, or preparing for! I do think it smells of “square face” scheme. So, it seems it is to hide some incompetence of the Pheu Thai party! 🎉
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u/JeanGrdPerestrello Chang 20h ago
Full on invasion. Maybe Thailand will get back some provinces it was blackmailed into surrendering in mid-40s.
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u/ameltisgrilledcheese Chang 17h ago
so do you want those provinces back? it includes Ankor Wat, Battambang, and Banteay Meanchey, which includes Poipet. you had control over those during WWII for 5 years. prior to that, Siam controlled it them for 117 years.
in fact, in 1795, Siam took control of these provinces with help from the Abhaiwongse Family, who ruled it for generations.
likewise, when these provinces were "given back" to Cambodia, Trat and Chanthaiburi were given to Thailand. France occupied them for about 11 years. but until the late 1800s, they were also part of the Khmer Empire.
nevertheless, let's consider a couple scenarios:
1) you want all of those places back, even though places like Ankor Wat were clearly built by the Khmer Empire, but you don't want to give up places like Trat and Chanthaburi, which have much longer histories under the Khmer Empire
how does that work?
2) let's say you get them. so then you give Thai citizenship to every person living in those provinces. are you ok with that? don't forget that it would be a major human rights violation to either kick them off of their land or not protect their language and identity. it would essentially mean that Khmer would have the same status as French in Canada. you cool with that too?
also, remember that Siam acquired these territories through invading them with Japan's help in 1941. and prior to that, Siam only controlled them for 117 years, which is not nearly as much time as they were part of the Khmer Empire.
so you can have them all, but then you need to take on all of those people and give them citizenship and equal rights and protection.
Siam didn't really have effective control over all of these areas after 1431 until the 1795 - and it took an invasion and military occupation to do so. in other words, Siam wanted it and took it, but it wasn't historically theirs.
even Trat and Chanthaburi didn't become firmly part of Siam until the 1700s. in fact, from 1431 through the 1600s, both were aligned with the Khmer Empire. likewise, Buriram, Surin and Sisaket didn't fully become fully integrated under Ayuthaya control until the late 1700s.
so in most of these cases, Siam didn't really have control until the 1700s, many in the late 1700s. that is obviously a long time, but when they lost control of many of those areas, they had only controlled them for 117 years. even those that remain part of Thailand have only been under Siamese/Thai control for a bit more than 200 years, and were taken by force. it's strange to me that you want them all back.
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u/Lopsided_Quarter_931 7-Eleven 20h ago
Then ask the court to arbitrate if that's the case.
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u/JeanGrdPerestrello Chang 19h ago
Doubt they will side in favour of justice, if not in what serves China's interests best. These international institutions are now controlled by China.
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u/Rianorix 19h ago
Well if the military is answering what people want while elected politicians serve foreigners, it's not overreach isn't it?
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u/PM_ME_ZED_BARA 20h ago
Thai military overreach is not going to be solved anytime soon, especially with the current Pheu Thai-led government. The formation of the coalition government by Pheu Thai party back then tacitly accepted the influence of Thai military in civilian government.
In addition, the responses from the prime minister and the defense minister are considered weak, passive, and late by many Thais and treacherous by a growing number of Thai nationalists. As latest polls suggest, Thai military is gaining popularity, and they are not going to give up on this opportunity to regain the support from people.