Issues of the Temple of Phra Viharn and Rohingya Illegal Migrants

(21/01/2013)

The Government will step up public relations campaigns to create better understanding among Thais about issues surrounding the Temple of Phra Viharn. It will also coordinate with international organizations to deal with the Rohingya problem. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul spoke about both the Temple of Phra Viharn and the illegal entry of Rohingya into Thailand, in the weekly program “Yingluck Government Meets the People” on 19 January 2013. Regarding the issue of the Temple of Phra Viharn, Mr. Surapong said that, after Thai and Cambodian representatives deliver their verbal statements on the issue at the International Court of Justice from 15-19 April 2013, it will take about six months for the court to make a decision, so the court ruling on the Thai-Cambodian disputed area surrounding the temple is likely to be made in October. He said that, on 5 February, the Thai legal team would meet Defense Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat to give him a briefing on Thailand’s stance on the case. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will also attend the meeting to listen to the briefing. Later, on 7-9 February, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, who is a legal expert, will lead the Thai team to discuss the issue with Thailand’s international legal team. After the discussion, a conclusion will be drawn up in the form of a proposal to be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration in late March or early April. Mr. Surapong said that, after the Cabinet approval of Thailand’s statement on the issue, the legal team would prepare to fight the case at the International Court of Justice on 15-19 April. He would also lead a team, accompanied by members of the media, to observe the situation in The Hague, Netherlands. With first-hand information, he said, the media would have a better understanding of the case. In addition, he said, more explanations would be made in the forms of features and documents to be sent to provincial governors, district chiefs, and village headmen. The objective is to provide the people with better understanding in order to avoid conflicts. Mr. Surapong said that he did not want to see a certain group of people provoke protests, causing difficulties to the people living along the border. Concerning the Rohingya problem, he said, related agencies would provide care to illegal Rohingya migrants in the short term. The Government would discuss the situation with such international organizations as the International Organization for Migration, the International Red Cross, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to seek assistance for the Rohingya minority in the long run. The Prime Minister earlier urged relevant agencies to care for the Rohingya migrants, such as providing them with shelters, on a humanitarian basis, before seeking ways to deal with the problem effectively.