BANGKOK, 18 April 2013 – The Foreign Ministry is satisfied with the first day of the Thai legal team’s oral argument in the Phra Viharn hearing at The Hague.
Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Nuttavudh Photisaro commented on Wednesday that Thailand’s legal representatives in the public hearings related to Cambodia’s request for the interpretation of the 1962 Phra Viharn rulings has passed without any hitch.
During the first part of the oral argument, the Thai team has picked up Cambodia’s reference to a map during its statement to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Romanian lawyer Alina Miron, who is a member of Thailand’s foreign lawyers defending the case, said Cambodia had only asked the ICJ to rule on the ownership of the temple in the court case, which led to the court rulings 51 years ago.
Ms. Miron stated Phnom Penh had also not mentioned the disputed 4.6-square-kilometer land next to the ancient ruin as the land claimed by Cambodia at the time only covered 0.35 square kilometers.
Before that, Thai Ambassador to The Hague Virachai Plasai, who leads the legal team, brushed off Cambodia’s calling Thailand an invader, saying the clashes were the results of the country’s defensive moves.
