Preah Vihear: Weeks after

 In Bangkok Post:

Locals thank Preah Vihear legal team

• Published: 22 Nov 2013 at 08.21
• Online news: Local News

About 80 villagers from Phum Srol in Si Sa Ket close to the Thai-Cambodian border visited the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to thank the Thai legal team for fighting the Preah Vihear temple case.

The villagers expressed their thanks to the team, saying their hard work has led to peace.
The group was led by Si Sa Ket governor Pratheep Kiratirekha. It was his duty to inform legal team leader Virachai Plasai of the villagers' intention to offer thanks.
Village head Virayuth Duangkaew of tambon Sao Thong Chai near the Cambodian border said he wanted to compliment the Thai team on their fight for Thai sovereignty.
He said Thailand and Cambodia should now develop the border area together. He would like officials to clarify where the borderline lies.
Mr Virachai, who is Thai ambassador to the Netherlands, said he was more excited at receiving the villagers' compliments than he was when fighting the case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He briefed the villagers about the court's ruling, which awarded the Preah Vihear promontory to Cambodia but rejected its claim to the nearby Phnom Trap or Phu Makheu.
He also told the villagers the ruling meant Cambodia could not lay claim to the 4.6 sq km disputed area, nor use the 1:200,000 scale map to mark the boundary.