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Trat Fishermen Back MOU 44 Repeal, Seek Border Trade Revival

Trat Fishermen Back MOU 44 Repeal, Seek Border Trade Revival

Matichon•Society•23d ago

Reader Briefing

Thai fishermen in Trat advocate for the repeal of MOU 44, believing it favors Thailand and calling for the reopening of border trade.

  • •Trat fishermen support the repeal of MOU 44, arguing it offers significant benefits to Thailand, particularly regarding maritime areas around Koh Kood.
  • •The repeal is seen as moving towards a more international legal framework like UNCLOS 1982 for maritime boundary negotiations.
  • •Business owners and military officials also commented on the potential positive impacts on border trade and regional stability.
  • •There is a call for swift negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia to resolve border disputes and reopen trade.

Overview

  • •On May 7, Narong Chaiyasiri, President of the Trat Fishermen's Association, stated that repealing MOU 44 has both advantages and disadvantages for both countries.
  • •Narong Chaiyasiri highlighted that Thai fishermen would benefit from increased marine territory south of Koh Kood if maritime lines are measured from the coast.
  • •Piyawut Prasittiwetch, owner of So. Krittawan Pier, viewed the repeal of MOU 44 positively, likening it to a non-binding bilateral agreement.
  • •Piyawut Prasittiwetch believes that Cambodia has an arbitrary approach to drawing maritime borders, which is less legally sound than Thailand's approach.
  • •Piyawut Prasittiwetch expressed a desire for immediate negotiations at JBC or local levels to resolve border conflicts.
  • •Piyawut Prasittiwetch noted that people in Trat and Chanthaburi have been negatively impacted by security measures closing land borders while maritime trade continues elsewhere.
  • •Titideth Thongphat, Vice President of Koh Kong International Co., Ltd., believes the repeal will improve border situations, enabling people on both sides to trade and earn a living.
  • •Titideth Thongphat suggested future border reopenings, starting in northeastern provinces and extending to Chanthaburi-Trat, following JBC negotiations.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Quotes

ณรงค์ ชัยศิริ
"The most beneficial aspect for Thai fishermen is the marine area south of Koh Kood, as measuring from the coast will increase the marine area in Koh Kood, not following Cambodia's line touching Koh Kood."
สิ่งที่ประมงไทยได้ประโยชน์มากก็คือ พื้นที่ทางทะเลใต้เกาะกูด เพราะหากมีการวัดจากชายฝั่งแล้ว จะทำให้พื้นทางทะเลในเกาะกูดมีมากขึ้นไม่ใช่เส้นทางกัมพูชาลากเล้นมาพาดเกาะกูด
นายปิยะวุฒิ ประสิทธิเวช
"It is a good thing that the government has repealed MOU 44, because compared to it, MOU 44 is like an agreement between two parties (countries) that is not a formal obligation."
นับเป็นเรื่องที่ดีที่รัฐบาลยกเลิก MOU 44 ไป เพราะเปรียบเทียบแล้ว MOU 44 ก็เป็นเสมือนข้อตกลงระหว่าง 2 ฝ่าย (ประเทศ)ที่ไม่ได้เป็นข้อผูกพันเป็นทางการ
นายปิยะวุฒิ ประสิทธิเวช
"I still want both countries to negotiate quickly at the JBC level or in local areas to end border conflicts promptly."
ผมยังอยากให้ทั้งสองประเทศเข้ามาเจรจากันโดยเร็วทั้งในระดับ JBC หรือ ในระดับพื้นที่ เพื่อยุติข้อขัดแย้งในพื้นที่ชายแดนโดยเร็ว

Key Entities

Person

Narong Chaiyasiri(นายณรงค์ ชัยศิริ)
President of the Trat Fishermen's Association who supports the repeal of MOU 44.
Piyawut Prasittiwetch(นายปิยะวุฒิ ประสิทธิเวช)
Owner of So. Krittawan Pier in Trat who supports the repeal of MOU 44 and advocates for border reopening.
Titideth Thongphat(นายธิติเดช ทองภัทร)
Vice President of Koh Kong International Co., Ltd. who believes the repeal will improve border situations.
Captain Prancha Phothiyoi(นาวาเอกปรัญชา โพธิย้อย)
Commander of the Trat Naval Special Task Force commenting on border security and JBC negotiations.

Organization

Trat Fishermen's Association(สมาคมการประมงจังหวัดตราด)
An organization in Trat advocating for the repeal of MOU 44.
Koh Kong International Co., Ltd.(บริษัท เกาะกงอินเตอร์เนชั่นแนล จำกัด)
A company whose Vice President commented on the positive effects of repealing MOU 44 on border trade.
Trat Naval Special Task Force(หน่วยเฉพาะกิจนาวิกโยธินตราด)
A military unit responsible for border security in the Trat area.

Law

UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982)(อนุสัญญาสหประชาชาติว่าด้วยกฎหมายทะเล ค.ศ. 1982)ℹ️
An international maritime law convention being considered as an alternative to MOU 44 for boundary negotiations.
MOU 44
A memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia that is being advocated for repeal by Thai fishermen.

Place

Koh Kood(เกาะกูด)ℹ️
An island in Trat Province where expanded marine territory is a key point of contention.
So. Krittawan Pier(ท่าเรือส.กฤตวัณ)
A major cargo and temporary fishing pier in Trat that has been repurposed.
Trat Province(จังหวัดตราด)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where fishermen and business owners are actively discussing the repeal of MOU 44 and its impact on border trade.
Chanthaburi Province(จังหวัดจันทบุรี)ℹ️
A province in Thailand mentioned alongside Trat as being impacted by border closures and eager for trade reopening.