Playing by other's rules is a losing game [... for Thailand]

July 22, 2011
By Thanong Khanthong
The Nation

It is a mistake for Thailand to appear before the court and put its argument. Thailand is not a member of the World Court, and it therefore has no obligation to follow the Court’s orders. (sic!)

A high-level Thai military officer supervising the Thai-Cambodian border has pointed out that the International Court of Justice’s orders on Monday have put Thailand at a disadvantage in the territorial dispute with Cambodia (see .)

Of the six orders announced by the International Court of Justice, four go against Thailand’s interests, the military officer who asked not to be named said.

Moreover, the ICJ has gone beyond Cambodia’s provisional requests in issuing orders. Cambodia requested in April that the ICJ, known as the World Court, issue 1) injunctions for Thailand to withdraw its troops from the disputed site, 2) a ban on all Thai military activity in the area surrounding the Preah Vihear/Khao Phraviharn temple, 3) an order for Thailand to refrain from any act or action which could interfere with its rights.

Let us go through the court orders one by one.

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