From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Dec 23: Thailand decides to observe UN ban
Date: 22 Dec 92 18:25:39 GMT
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THAILAND yesterday decided to close the border with Cambodia from the
end of this month in compliance with the United Nations Security
Council resolution imposing an oil and limited trade embargo on the
Khmer Rouge.
 
Government spokesman Abhisit Vejjajiva said the decision to close
border checkpoints was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting.
 
The spokesman also said the transport of logs from Khmer
Rouge-controlled areas across the border into Thailand would be halted
as of December 31 although the Foreign Ministry will contact the
Supreme National Council of Cambodia to discuss a moratorium on the
ban so logs already felled could be brought across the border.
 
The possibility of concluding the talks before the December 31
deadline is in some doubt however.
 
Businesses with logging interests in Cambodia will therefore have to
comply with the transport ban until the SNC approves a moratorium,
said Mr Abhisit.
 
The Interior Ministry will work out the details on closing border
checkpoints and will be responsible for coordinating Thai businesses
with logging interests so they meet the{ requirements of the UN
resolution.
 
The Cabinet also agreed that Thailand should step up public relations
efforts so the world community understood Thailand had persisted in
trying to bring about peace in Cambodia and would suffer if this could
not be brought about, according to the spokesman.
 
National Security Council secretary-general Charan Kullavanijaya,
meanwhile, said it was hoped the SNC would consider the application to
allow a stay on the log transport ban.
 
He said the SNC had already been asked to grant a grace period but had
so far made no reply.
 
Gen Charan said it was wrong to say the Government had been slow in
acting on the matter.
 
He also rejected comments from some countries that Thailand had not
fully cooperated in pushing for the Khmer Rouge to comply with the
Paris peace agreement.
 
He said Thailand had been actively working for peace in Cambodia for
17 years and had done everything in its power to realise the full
implementation of the peace plan.
 
Interior Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said his ministry would comply
with the Cabinet resolution and would cooperate closely with the
Foreign Ministry and NSC.
 
In the border province of Trat local authorities have sought
permission from the Interior Ministry to allow the 50,000-odd gem
miners returning from Cambodia after the sanctions take effect to mine
a restricted area along the border.
 
The closure of the checkpoints at the end of this month will force the
miners to return to Thailand from their diggings in Cambodia.
 
Trat Governor Amorn Anantachai yesterday explained the position to
the House Committee on Labour and Social Welfare led by Rayong MP
Somsak Karoon.
 
Mr Amorn said 32 Thai companies were now operating 112 gem mines in
Cambodia, but only 10 had retrieved their equipment across the border.
 
About 50,000 Thai gem miners in Cambodia are expected to continue
their operations until the December 31 deadline.
 
He said a proposal to allow gem miners to operate in the restricted
area was initiated by the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Defence Force. 
 
The proposal was forwarded to the Interior Ministry last month but
there has still not been any response, the governor said.
 
Mr Amorn said the province was making preparations to house the
returning Thais at temples. The Public Welfare Department will provide
them with food and necessities for about a week. Those who want to go
home will be provided with transport, he said.
 
As most of the gem miners are believed to have contracted malaria, he
said provincial public health officials were implementing measures to
prevent the spread of the disease.
 
About 15,000 other foreigners working in Cambodia, mostly Burmese,
will be banned from entering Thailand, he said.
 
The governor said there were five logging companies from Trat
operating in Cambodia, four in Khmer Rouge-controlled areas opposite
Bo Rai District and one in a government-controlled area opposite Muang
District.
 
They have signed concessions to fell one million trees or five million
cubic metres of wood but they only began felling operations two months
ago.
 
They have hauled about 60,000 logs out of Cambodia and have about
2,150 workers and a large stock of equipment in that country.
 
Mr Amorn said the province had sought permission to allow these
companies to haul logs into Thailand around the clock but the Interior
Ministry had not yet given its go-ahead.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai