Thai MFA anticipates ICJ's ruling on Preah Vihear-related case

BANGKOK, October 14 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs is anticipating the eagerly-awaited ruling on a Preah Vihear Temple-related case of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), insisting that Thailand will maintain good relations with neighbouring Cambodia, no matter how The Hague-based World Court rules. Thai Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow told journalists on Monday that an official committee on the Preah Vihear dispute has met to discuss progress of the case, in which Cambodia earlier sought the World Court's re-interpretation on boundaries of the ancient Preah Vihear Temple along the Thai-Cambodian border, and to prepare Thailand for the upcoming ruling. Sihasak affirmed that no matter how the World Court rules, Thailand will comply with it and maintain sound relations with Phnom Penh. Members of the government committee include representatives of Thailand's concerned agencies namely Lieutenant General Paradorn Pattanatabutr, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), Virachai Plasai, Thai Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to The Hague and those of the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Thai Survey Department. Regarding the ICJ's reported workloads, Sihasak, thus, assessed that the World Court should issue the awaited ruling on the Preah Vihear-related case in early 2014, after January. According to the senior official, Thailand's preparations concern diplomatic and military affairs, as well as international relations. Meanwhile, the top Thai envoy to The Hague said he expected four possibilities of the World Court's ruling, including firstly, the ICJ has no authority to rule on the case; secondly, the ICJ rules in favor of Cambodia; thirdly, the ICJ rules as Thailand requests and fourthly, the ICJ hands down a neutral ruling. The Thai ambassador to The Hague promised that the Thai government will inform people of developments related to the matter and submit relevant issues to the NSC for further consideration. The top Thai envoy to The Hague acknowledged that the updated situation along the Thai-Cambodian border does not require any reinforcement of Thai troops along the common border. (TNA)