On 11 November 2013 at the Peace Palace in the Hague, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Yutthasak Sasiprapha, Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador to the Hague, Mr. Nuttavudh Photisaro, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and the Thai delegation attended the reading of the International Court of Justice’s judgment on Cambodia’s request for interpretation of the Court’s 1962 Judgment on the case concerning the Temple of Phra Viharn.

Shortly after the Court delivered its judgment, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong commented that the Judgment should be acceptable to both sides. He said that Thailand and Cambodia would discuss the implications of the Judgment under their Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. Ambassador Virachai, Thailand’s Agent, summarized the Judgment, saying that the Court found that Cambodia’s request was admissible and ruled that the 1962 Judgment had decided that Cambodia had sovereignty over the promontory of the Temple, an area which is in fact close to Method One considered by the Thai Cabinet in 1962. He also said that the Court did not specify the exact area and instructed Thailand and Cambodia to negotiate in good faith.

Later, the Thai delegation in the Hague had a videoconference with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her team at the Government House. The legal working group, headed by Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and comprising high-level officials from relevant agencies and the foreign legal counsels, will study the Judgment in detail and present its recommendations to the Government on the best course of action.