Of course, the border needs to be more precisely demarcated, and remnants of the long Cambodia civil war must be removed. But these are merely pretexts used by the Thai army to restart hostilities with Cambodia, a vehicle that they use repeatedly while they boast and congratulate each other that they are the true heroes of their troubled nation. But their main goal, as usual, is no doubt to retake total control of power and finances in Thailand yet again.
Overconfident as bullies facing a much weaker adversary, they don’t dare act in the same manner against the Myanmar military dictatorship when tensions have frequently arisen on their western border. Because, unlike Cambodia, Myanmar is very well equipped militarily and have demonstrated time and again that they have no qualms about using their military might – even against their own people – unfortunately and criminally. The Thai military seems to shudder in fear when Myanmar bombs drop on shared border areas, only protesting and warning that this had better not happen again or else! Myanmar generals yawn.
As allies of Cambodia, China and Vietnam should also intervene firmly and immediately. But they have remained silent, in the shadows, opportunistically trying to play both sides.
And while hoping with crossed fingers for a more decisive intervention from the current American president, Cambodians are united in the sense that their former partner, France, as the original signatory of the treaties with Siam/Thailand, should, finally, intervene in a way more befitting of the country that steered the two countries into their border agreements over a century ago.
Jack Matson
Los Angeles, California
On the road in Indochina
The views and opinions expressed are his own
