Phumtham sees Koh Kut to ease sovereignty issues inthemiddleof row over 2001 arrangement Officials led by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai board a ship to study Koh Kut in Trat province on Saturday. The island is at the centre of a disagreement over the authenticity of an contract gotin into with Cambodia by the Thaksin Shinawatra federalgovernment in2001 (Photo: Jakkrit Waewkraihong) TRAT – The federalgovernment on Saturday repeated that a 2001 memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cambodia is a system to safeguard Thailand’s finest interests, while firmlyinsisting Thailand has sole sovereignty over Koh Kut in this eastern province. Deputy Minister Phumtham Wechayachai used the guarantee while goingto the island, lookingfor to downplay worries that the arrangement signed when Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister might cause Thailand to lose its sovereignty over the island and the overlapping declares location (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand. On the verysame day, Thai Pakdee Party chairman Warong Dechgitvigrom, an outspoken challenger of the Thaksin offer, likewise checkedout the island to pressure the federalgovernment to end it. He intends to collect 100,000 signatures to assistance his petition to have the MoU nullified. The federalgovernment has argued that unilaterally nullifying it might threaten relations with Cambodia. The Palang Pracharath Party, headed by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, has likewise called for the cancellation of the MoU. (see Graphic at end of story). “I think those who live on the island still are positive they are Thais and the island belongs to Thailand,” stated Mr Phumtham, who is likewise the defence minister. He stated the federalgovernment is attempting to discuss the truths versus the background of rumours and phony news spread by ultra-nationalists about the MoU and Koh Kut, which are triggering a lot of confusion.
Read More.
The news from the world
The news from the world