Thailand to propose dispute-settling mechanism at ASEAN summit

BANGKOK, Oct 8 (TNA) - Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya on Thursday said Thailand will propose establishing a mechanism to settle conflicts among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the group’s upcoming summit scheduled for later this month in the Thai seaside resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin.

Mr Kasit made his remarks during a speech in the Thai capital Thursday on the problem of land sovereignty along the Thai-Cambodian border.

The Thai foreign minister expressed hope that the mechanism will help sort out border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand will host the 15th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Phetchaburi's Cha-am district and Prachuab Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district October 23 to 25. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has confirmed that he will attend the summit despite the renewed tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

Mr Hun Sen earlier announced that he had ordered his troops to shoot any intruders from Thailand who stepped on Cambodian soil, after protesters led by Thailand's Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallied in Si Sa Ket province last month to oppose Cambodia's plan to build new structures in the contested 4.6 square kilometres zone surrounding Preah Vihear temple.

The PAD protesters clashed with local police and local residents there.

Mr Kasit said that the government has negotiation frameworks which adhere to peaceful approaches and avoid any use of violence.

"I affirm that we have not yet lost the contested 4.6 square kilometers land and negotiation is the best way to solve this conflict," said Mr Kasit.

The minister added that rumours sometimes have been unleashed with an aim to benefit internal politics.

"I met Mr Hun Sen last week and everything sounds fine. I clarified the issue with all parties concerned," the Thai foreign minister said.

Mr Kasit reaffirmed that there is no conflict of interest, nor secret, in tackling the border dispute. He insisted everything can be examined and urged the public to trust the government's sincere intention to solve the dispute.

"I urge everyone not to stir up troubles which could lead to international conflict," said Mr Kasit.

The border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia flared up when former Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed a joint communique with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in June 2008 to support Cambodia's sole application to list the 11th century temple as a World Heritage site, while the question of sovereignty over the land has never been clearly resolved.

Cambodia tourism starts its slow recovery

Cambodia tourism has been confronted with the economic crisis to the slump of a dramatic decline from Northeast Asia, especially Japan and South Korea. Political skirmish with Thailand also contributed to a sharp drop from neighboring tourists.

After six years of uninterrupted growth –and mostly in double-digit figures-, Cambodia tourism has seen a decline in total arrivals for the first half of 2009. Albeit modest at -1.1 percent, it sent a worrying signal as tourism is one of the biggest revenues earning for the government and a major source of employment with over 300,000 Khmers working in the hotel and tourism business.

According to a survey, South Korean travelers, among Cambodia’s top incoming markets, drop by a third during the first semester 2009. Markets such as Australia, China, Thailand or Japan declined also in double-digit numbers. Growth was however recorded in Vietnam –now Cambodia’s largest incoming market-, France, the UK and the USA.

The city of Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat fabled temples are located, has been more affected by the drop. According to data from the airports authority, the number of passengers at Siem Reap declined from January to May by 25.5 percent, from 778,000 to 580,000.

During the same period, Phnom Penh saw passengers’ traffic declining by a more modest 12.9 percent from 767,000 to 667,000 passengers. Numbers have since substantially improved at Phnom Penh International Airport. Passengers’ traffic was only down by 10.2 percent at the end of August.

The disaffection for Angkor Wat is also reflected into the revenues from Apsara Authorities, which manages the temples. For the first half of the year, revenues from ticket sales were down by almost 20 percent. It would be the second consecutive year of decline for the authority as revenues from ticket sales already dropped from US$ 32 to 30 million between 2007 and 2008. Bun Narith, director general of the Apsara Authority, blamed the economic crisis, political uncertainties in neighboring Thailand and bad weather for the overall drop.

Meanwhile, tourism in Cambodia seems to have reached the bottom line. In July, the kingdom recorded an increase of 10 percent in total arrivals. Numerous price reductions and discounts in hotels and tourist attractions, the opening of new border crossings, more flights to Cambodia thanks to the new national carrier Cambodia Angkor Air (CAA) should contribute to put back tourism on the right track. The government has already promised to start again a TV campaign on channels in China, Japan and Korea and predict that tourism will grow again from September. With a bit of luck, it could even erase completely its decline and show a modest growth in total arrivals by year-end.

Cambodia hosts int'l meeting on global economic crisis

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia hosts a three-day meeting on Thursday in Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap, focusing on global economic crisis.

A statement released by Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) said the annual forum's theme for this year is "Overcoming the Global Financial and Economic Crisis: The Rule of Law as the Key to Economic Freedom," which is devoted to the topic of dealing with the global economic crisis.

"We need to understand them to see which reforms are needed. We also need to guard against those who use the crisis as a pretext for furthering their own illiberal agendas," the statement said.

"We will try to explore how to bridge the gap between people's clamor for action and protection against the effects of the crisis can be reconciled to sober economic analysis. Otherwise we risk wasting huge amounts of resources for little effect, resources that will go to the politically powerful rather than the poor and needy," it added.

The conference is a platform for the exchange of useful information, practical techniques and networking tailored to the needs of think tanks, industry, academics and policymakers.

Since 1998, it has become the Economic Freedom Network Asia conference's custom to utilize various forms of comprehensive and interactive programs.

In addition to keynote presentations and panel discussions, this year's conference will employ the Open Space Technology (OST). OST is a facilitation method which allows participants to identify specific issues, self-select into discussion groups and work on issues with individuals of similar interests.

Keynote speakers include Keat Chhon, deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Professor Lawrence H. White from George Mason University.

The conference is sponsored and supported by Economic Freedom Network Asia and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and in collaboration with the Cambodia Institute of Development Study and the Citizen Action Net for Social Development