Q1. Evaluate the cross-border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand over the possession of the Preah Vihear Temple from the geopolitical and mediatory role of ASEAN in the conflict resolution process.

Cambodia and Thailand had a long history of wars and disputes between them even though they were neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Dispute over the Preah Vihear Temple was not something new. This dispute has been going on for over a hundred years and both states have exchanged fire over this possession of the temple in October 2008 to April 2009.

Preah Vihear Temple is located between the Choam Khsant district in the Sisaket province of Northeastern Thailand. Upon the Cambodian Independence and the French withdrawal in 1953, Thailand took over the temple in 1954. But in 1962, International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the ownership of the Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia by a 9 to 3 vote by affirming the Preah Vihear is in the Cambodian territory using a 1907 map. But the court had only ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia but did not rule on the surrounding lands. Therefore Thailand reacted by only handing over the temple with nearly no surrounding areas to Cambodia unwillingly.

Even though one of ASEAN's aims was to accelerate economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, the protection of the peace and stability of the region and to provide opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. On July 22, 2008, Thailand rejected the assistance of ASEAN in resolving this border dispute and before that on July 21, 2008, the talks between the Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Ban and Thai Army commander Boonsrang Niempradit held talks in Thailand but the talks had achieved no outcome.

The possible solution that ASEAN adopted was to act as a mediator to help Thailand and Cambodia to achieve a solution. ASEAN was actively involved by holding meetings in Bogor even though the results was not really satisfactory due to the way the two countries see things. Thailand tend to believe that the solution should be achieved through the discussion through the 2 countries only while Cambodia welcomes the intervention of a third party. ASEAN has a policy which is the non-interference in each other's domestic affairs which limits ASEAN's role in finding solutions. Therefore it would have been easier if the two countries have sorted out this themselves. This is similar to the Pedra Branca case between Singapore and Malaysia. Therefore I strongly believed that this could be resolved peacefully using liberalism and because of the participation of both countries in ASEAN, all the more that this issue should be resolved peacefully.

In this case, I would conclude that one of the optimal solution is to first ceasefire before peaceful talks can be carried out. ASEAN should stand as a mediator but however not directly involved and leave the two countries to resolve this. Main issues should be covering Thailand's and Cambodia's borders and the ownership of the Preah Vihear Temple and the ownership of the items inside the Temple.