1. Legal team says falsified border map could
give Thailand victory
Published: 23 Apr 2013 at 00.00
The falsified border map used by Cambodia at the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) could be key evidence
allowing a verdict in favour of Thailand, the Thai legal team
fighting the case says.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presents bouquets of
flowers to the Thai legal team, including the only woman in the

2. courtroom of the International Court of Justice, Alina Morin of
Romania, heroine of the Preah Vihear temple case. (Photo by
Chanat Katanyu)
Virachai Plasai, head of the Thai team and Thai
ambassador to The Hague, said the team noticed Cambodia's
use of the falsified map as part of its formal request for the
ICJ's interpretation in 2011 and had corrected it in Thailand's
first written defence. But the falsified map with "colourful
adjustments" was used again by Cambodia in its second written
statement to the court in March 2012, the Thai legal team head
said.
Alina Miron, a map expert who is one of four foreign
lawyers on the Thai team, said the Foreign Ministry found out
about the falsified map a year and a half ago.
"I was very excited to see that map and we had to build up the
story. Foreign Ministry staff have been really great in trying to
find out the answers.
"They were wonderful trying to build the story up [in court].
Nobody wanted to do it but I had to," she said.
"I am proud to be helping Thailand. I have participated in this
case because the Foreign Ministry contacted Alain Pellet, who
invited me to join the team," Ms Miron added.
Thailand's team of lawyers in the Preah Vihear case met Prime
Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Government House Monday to

3. report on their performance during the oral statements at the
ICJ.
Ms Yingluck thanked the team for its hard work and
research in Thailand's defence.
She also said the Thai people had given moral support to the
team, and were proud of them.
Ms Yingluck said the team was able to clearly explain
points of concern to the public and rebutted Cambodia's
arguments.
The public were provided with information which made them
more knowledgeable about the case and they had become
more confident in understanding the situation after hearing the
Thai legal team's explanations, she said
James Crawford, a lawyer on the team, said the Thai team
had done a very good job and it is satisfied with its
performance.
"[But] it's difficult to say how the court will rule after this.
It's like being in the middle of the sea, like being in the hands of
the gods," he said.
Mr Virachai thanked the government, officials from related
ministries, and the Thai public who gave support to the team
throughout their verbal testimony last week in the Hague, which
he said showed unity within the country.
"One thing I want to mention to is the case of Prince
Damrong Rajanupab who went to the Preah Vihear temple a

4. long time ago as an archaeologist but his case was considered
by the 1962 court, so this time we mentioned him to compare
with the visit of then Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia
which is a good legal point," Mr Virachai said.
Thailand has prepared detailed geographic coordinates as
requested by one of the ICJ judges and will submit them to the
court before the Friday deadline. He declined to elaborate on
the details.
The ambassador said the next step is to continue providing
information to the public about the final court decision by
highlighting the critical points the team made during its oral
testimony.
Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said that
Thailand's coordinates would be based on the Thai cabinet
resolution of 1962.
In a Defence Council meeting Monday, ACM Sukumpol
thanked officers for preparing useful information, especially
data on maps, for the Thai legal team.
Defence spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng quoted
the minister as saying that useful information on maps had
been very important for Thailand's defence in its oral
statements before the ICJ last week.