Preah Vihear Reloaded: Thailand’s Two Realities

A common tactic under strongman Thaksin was to divert attention in times of troubles. Remember when he announced the government’s intent to buy English football club Liverpool while political problems started eating him up.

The whole renewed Preah Vihear sabre-rattling along the Cambodian border may fall into the very same category – with the distinction this time that the Thaksin faithfuls find themselves allied with their ultranationalistic archrivals.

The PAD can only applaud Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s strong words that Thailand cannot pull out troops now and will act in self-defense according to The Nation – while foreign media report that Thailand pulls back (BBC) from the border and retreats (CNN).

Now take a wild guess: Which reports are more true. The foreign ones based on Cambodian sources – or the Thai ones denying the withdrawal (AFP). The Thai government’s spin cum sabre-rattling as a political diversion?

Wouldn’t be too different from the PAD’s tactics. That’s exactly what Somchai intends.

“Apart from national pride, is there any reason to go to war over this scrubland?” – enjoy Reuters‘ explainer.