On 16 July 2012, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul gave a press interview on the planned redeployment of military personnel that would lead towards the implementation of the Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures. Gist as follows:

       1. Earlier on the day, 16 July 2012 at 08.30 hrs., a meeting was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Forces, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of State and Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, to discuss Thailand’s implementation of the ICJ’s Order for provisional measures, the redeployment of military personnel in the provisional demilitarized zone (PDZ) and the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Indonesian Observers Team. These measures, according to the Foreign Minister, need to be implemented before the scheduled Further Oral Explanations before the ICJ on 15 – 19 April 2013. The ICJ’s judgment is expected in October 2013.

       2. The meeting resolved that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence will jointly consider the draft agreement and the TOR of the Indonesian Observers Team, and submit the draft Agreement and TOR for the Cabinet’s consideration at the earliest opportunity after finalizing the draft Agreement and TOR with Indonesia and Cambodia. Subsequently, the draft agreement and TOR, as approved by the Cabinet, shall be forwarded to the Parliament for its deliberation and approval in accordance with Article 190 Paragraph 2 of the Constitution. 

           3. The Foreign Minister stressed that the redeployment of troops will be carried out in a similar manner by both sides in line with the improved  situation on the ground and which will lead to full implementation of the Court’s Order. The move came as a result of the meeting between the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia who agreed that the redeployment of military personnel by both sides in the PDZ would take place on 18 July 2012 and thereafter both sides would report their action to the ICJ. On Thailand’s part, the Defence Minister will provide more details on the said redeployment plan and the planned joint de-mining operation to be conducted in the PDZ.

          4. Foreign Minister Surapong responded to the question by a reporter on whether the decision to let Cambodia host the 37^th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) would affect the ICJ’s consideration of the case and why Thailand did not offer to host the said meeting. He said that Thailand remains party to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. However, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the responsible agency of Thailand, did not seek the Cabinet’s approval for Thailand to host the meeting.  Nevertheless, there was no connection whatsoever between the hosting of the event and the ICJ’s consideration of the case.

          5. The Minister also said that at present Thailand and Cambodia enjoyed close and cordial relations, enabling close consultations and positive development to take place in several areas. He stressed that the Prime Minister’s visit to Cambodia on 13 July 2012 did not represent a conflict of interest as alleged by certain parties. The said accusation was merely self-indulged presumption and not fact-based.

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                                                                          16 July 2012