Trying to avoid border troubles
Thailand continues to shelter tens of thousands of Cambodians. But this drain on our money and human resources may be the least of the problem on the Khmer border. A confusing and menacing situation threatens to draw Thailand in.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh returns to Cambodia today (Monday) to establish his presence for the July elections. Hun Sen supporters have raised tensions by holding demonstrations against him. It is entirely moot whether Hun Sen, whose reputation as the godfather of Cambodia is growing, will allow free elections.
Up on our Cambodian border, Thai forces and citizens face danger and uncertainty, as do tens of thousands of Khmer refugees. A strong propaganda campaign from Phnom Penh began last week to claim that the Khmer Rouge base at Anlong Veng was in government hands. Although this has proved incorrect, strong rumors continue to be fanned by the Hun Sen team and its foreign advisers. As with a similar false campaign last December, many of the rumors being spread from Phnom Penh center on Khmer Rouge leaders fleeing toward Thailand.
Thailand confronts the dilemma it has had to face so many times in the past two decades. On the one hand, it is clear the country must defend its borders from intruders. As Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai made clear last week, there can be no further warnings or simple protests when Burma's (Myanmar's) so-called Democratic Karen Army crosses our frontier. If anything, it is time for the premier, who is also defense minister, to take a stand on these outrageous border incursions.
If Thailand cannot welcome armed attackers, we always have tried to welcome innocent victims of war. In the past two decades, well over one million old men, women and children have sought asylum on Thai soil. Today, the number of Cambodian and Burmese refugees is approaching 150,000. We continue to provide food and shelter to these casualties of war, and must continue to do so.
Thailand must punish, quickly and violently, any further attack from across the border. Our authorities cannot allow harm to come to our citizens, nor to refugees. At the same time, we must not become directly involved in the problems of Burma and Cambodia.
-- The Bangkok Post