Thai army chief rejects border observers [-Prayuth afraid that Indonesia cannot be led by the nose? What does Thailand have to hide?]

Thursday, March 24, 2011
AFP

BANGKOK — Thailand’s powerful army chief on Wednesday said Indonesian observers were not wanted in a disputed area on the Thai-Cambodia border, despite an earlier agreement between the neighbours.

“Regardless of where the observers are from, we don’t want them.. in the disputed area because it’s dangerous and will complicate the problem”, General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said.

The Thai defence ministry, armed forces and military commanders reject the idea of outside monitors in the territory, he said, before conceding that it was up to the government to decide.

A simmering border dispute over a small piece of land around an 11th century temple erupted in early February and heavy fighting between the armies of both sides claimed at least 10 lives and displaced thousands.

Prayut said the longstanding General Border Committee, chaired by Thai and Cambodian defence ministers, should be convened as planned in April to help the countries decide whether observers were wanted in the area.

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