Vietnam, Cambodia Work Closely To Ensure Border Situation

Relevant Vietnamese and Cambodian agencies have closely coordinated to control the situation in their joint border areas and not let the border matter affect the countries’ friendship, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh said on July 23.

He made the remark in response to reporters’ queries about measures to prevent the repeat of disturbances in joint border areas.
Vietnam and Cambodia have an agreement on activities in their joint border areas, especially those that have not been demarcated or planted with markers, he said, noting that recent disturbances in Vietnam-Cambodia border areas did not comply with related bilateral agreements.

The countries have also agreed to accelerate the negotiations on, demarcation and planting of border markers along their borderline under reached agreements, Binh added.

The spokesman said Vietnam does not have any comments about Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s sending of letters to the UN Secretary-General and leaders of the UK, the US and France to borrow the Bonne map that defines the borderline between Vietnam and Cambodia.

At the regular press conference, he provided further information that on December 27, 1985, Vietnam and Cambodia signed the Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries between them, which took effect on February 22, 1986. On October 10, 2005, they inked a supplementary agreement to the 1985 Treaty, and the additional document began enforcement on December 6, 2005.

Based on the two agreements, the land border between Vietnam and Cambodia is showed on the Bonne map, scale 1/100,000, and the UTM map, scale 1/50,000, that was enclosed with the 1985 Treaty.

Binh emphasised that the border demarcation and border marker planting is bilateral work between Vietnam and Cambodia and conducted on the basis of the two aforementioned documents and other related bilateral agreements which are in line with international law and practices.

Trial Opens For 2 Accused Of Killing British Tourists

SURAT THANI — The head of Thailand's Central Institute of Forensic Science will testify in defense of two Burmese men accused of killing two British backpackers in southern Thailand last year. 

 

Judges ruled on Friday to add an additional day to the trial to allow for CIFS director Pornthip Rojanasunand to take the witness stand at Koh Samui Provincial Court on 11 September. 

 

Pornthip’s appearance was requested by the defendants’ lawyers because her agency, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, is re-examining several pieces of forensic evidence from the case that have only been tested privately by police. Pornthip is well-known in Thailand for disagreeing with police in several high-profile cases.

 

Four items collected from the crime scene on Koh Tao's Sairee beach, including the garden hoe believed to be used in the murder, have already been sent to the CIFS for a second examination. On Thursday, the court learned that solutions containing DNA traces taken from the victims’ bodies may also be available for a re-test.

 

Defense lawyer Nakhon Chompuchat said his team is still discussing which additional evidence to send to the forensic institute.

 

"We want to consult with Dr. Pornthip first," Nakhon told Khaosod English on friday.

Bangla Thugs Threaten Expat Police Volunteers

THAILAND - PHUKET: A gang of drunken thugs threatening expat police volunteers on patrol has exposed the lack of police protection provided at the police box at the beach end of Bangla Rd in Patong.

The gang turned up at the scene in a white pickup at 10:50pm on July 10 and started playing loud music from the vehicle while drinking beers on the steps right in front the police box, noted an incident report filed to Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya at the Patong police station.

“There were no police in attendance at the police box all night and it was locked… The people were asked to leave as parking the car [and] drinking alcohol [there] is not allowed and playing loud music was not appropriate at the police box – and they left immediately,” a lead volunteer said in the report.

But the gang was soon back, in greater numbers and looking for a fight. “They returned with more people at 11:20pm, parked the car in the

same spot, played loud music, drank alcohol and told Thai people they were looking for the farang [foreign] police to fight them,” the report said.

“I chose not to engage them as the girl I spoke to outside Starbucks said they were waiting to fight with us and there were no police on Bangla Rd.”

Lt Col Pongphichan Chayanonpiriya, the officer in Patong responsible for co-ordinating police volunteers, this week told The Phuket News that he had little to say to rectify the lack of police presence on the busy tourist street.

“We have three to four officers stationed on Bangla every day, but at that particular time those officers were called to an incident elsewhere. That’s why they could not be found,” he said.

“We also have an officer at the police box every day, but he has to leave the box often to check along the entire three kilometres length of the road, from the bridge at the southern end of the beach road to the ‘dolphin circle’ at the northern end.

“That one officer has much to do, and all on Thaweewong Rd only,” said Col Pongphichan.

“I presume that the officer was not at the police box at the time of the incident because he was performing these duties.”

Col Pongphichan noted that expat police volunteers have no law-enforcement rights whatsoever unless a regular officer on duty is with them, which is often the case.

He also assured that anyone who assaulted a volunteer would face the law.

Despite having the report and photos for more than a week, Col Pongphichan on Wednesday said that no effort had been made to find the culprits, as the report did not constitute an official complaint.

FAA Says Thai Aviation Industry Lacks Sufficient Qualified Personnel

BANGKOK: -- The latest inspection of the Thai aviation safety standard by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revealed that insufficient qualified manpower may be one of the country’s main drawbacks in delivering its aviation safety services up to international standards.

But Thai authorities say that this problem could be resolved.

Transport minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong revealed yesterday that a team of four FAA senior members arrived on July 13 to inspect aviation safety standards with particular focus on the two main Thai airlines that conduct flights into the USA namely, Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways.

Inspection revealed that the Thai civil aviation is insufficiently staffed per FAA’s recommended industry standards and that staff were sometimes inappropriately assigned to aircraft types.

The second concern was that the operations check list is not strictly adhered to. And thirdly, safety checks were lacking mainly as a result of insufficient qualified personnel.

But ACM Prajin said Thai aviation authorities have already started to take up measures to solve the mentioned problems.

This is because the International Civil Aviation Organisation had previously inspected the safety standard which revealed similar results.

But he said full inspection report is expected to be released within 30 days where the country will be given 65 days to take corrective measures.

The minister admits that if Thailand is not able to resolve those problems highlighted by the FAA, the country’s aviation safety standard rating could be downgraded to a second class ranking which could affect the industry’s flights into the USA.

ACM Prajin also stated that he would have a clearer idea on the severity of the impact to the local industry on July 20 once he has read the full inspection report.

The FAA’s recent inspection prior to this year’s was conducted in 2008 where Thailand received a first class rating for excellence.

Thai Army Bases Selling Cheap Food To Public

BANGKOK - The Royal Thai Army has announced that some military bases are now offering low-cost food to the public.

Col. Sirichan Ngathong, an army spokesperson, said today that army bases in Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, and Chonburi are participating in the program so far, while other military camps around the country are expected to join soon.

"It is an option for people to buy food at a special price, which is cheaper than the market price," Col. Sirichan said, adding that each dish costs around 10 - 20 baht. Staple food dishes in Thailand normally cost 30 - 40 baht per serving.

According to Col. Sirichan, the army bases are offering noodle dishes, basil fried rice, curry rice, fried rice with pork, and omelettes with rice.

Bangkok Suspends Buying Submarines From China Over US Concern

BANGKOK: -- A Chinese news website has reported that the relationship with the US is an important factor in Thailand's decision to put on hold plans to buy submarines from China.

The Global Times online quoted Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, as saying it was clear that the US did not want to see closer cooperation between China and Thailand, especially in terms of military ties and defence.

From the perspective of foreign relations, it was understandable and predictable that Thailand considers its relationship with the US a very important diplomatic priority, Li said.

Thai deputy premier Prawit Wongsuwan said the US$1.6 billion acquisition for its first submarine from China was put on hold and that the Navy needed to further study the matter.

Meanwhile Lan Yun, deputy editorinchief of the Beijingbased Modern Ships magazine, told the website that the S26T Submarine China is the most costeffective model among all the bids.

"Thailand's defence ministry might not have reached a consensus with its finance ministry on the issue of cost and Thailand is not in urgent need of a submarine," Lan said.

With an AirIndependent Propulsion system, the 2,600ton submarine priced $355 million was obviously a better choice than the 900Ton S210 German submarine, costing around $340 million, Lan added.

Chinese Businessman Says He Was Extorted By Thai Police

CHIANG MAI — A Chinese businessman told police in northern Thailand today that a man who claimed to be a police officer threatened to kill him if he did not fork over 4.3. million baht.

The businessman, Yian Tong, and his Thai wife, Mananthacha Kasema, filed the complaint with the Fifth Region Police in Chiang Mai.

According to Mananthacha, Yian started a tour company and resort in Chiang Mai several years ago, and later leased the business to another Chinese busineman named Tong Wan under a one year-contract. However, six months after the contract started police raided the company for hiring staff without proper work permits and organizing group tours without registering with the Immigration police.

Tong Wan then asked to terminate the contract, and demanded that Yian pay him 4.3 million baht in damages, even though he still owed Yian more than 500,000 baht in rent, Mananthacha said.

"My husband and I didn't break the contract, and we are the victims in this because we don't get rent money from him," Mananthacha said.