Economic community is the key, Surin says
10/01/2011
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post
Thailand should not politicise boundary disputes but allow them to be handled in a "neighbourly" spirit, the secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations says.
Surin Pitsuwan, former foreign minister, told a seminar yesterday that this approach would bring about economic growth and other mutual benefits.
Boundary disputes were a colonial legacy as border demarcation and delineation efforts remain "works in progress", Mr Surin said.
He pointed out how a functioning agreement has yet to be established between Thailand and the once colonial neighbours Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Malaysia.
"We should address the border issues not as fixed [geographical] boundaries but areas of joint culture, neighbourliness and fraternity," he said. "Traditionally, there is no such absolute and definite boundary."
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