Thailand defines Preah Vihear's "vicinity"

"Vicinity" is a vague word meaning "the area near a particular place". However, the International Court of Justice wants a precise definition of the "vicinity of Preah Vihear" and Thailand's definition is now ready.

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For Thailand, "vicinity" means only a small area around the temple. The watershed line is key to defining the border between the two countries.

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1962 map gets cabinet approval

Patsara Jikkham,
Pradit Ruangdit
Wassana Nanuam

Thailand has reaffirmed the map approved by the cabinet in 1962 to delineate the Preah Vihear temple's "vicinity", and will now submit it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The map was presented for acknowledgement to the cabinet Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

Mr Surapong said the Thai team of lawyers in the Thai-Cambodian frontier case concluded the coordinates last Monday.

The Thailand-proposed vicinity is small and close to the temple ruins, just as Virachai Plasai, Thai ambassador to The Hague and head of the Thai team of lawyers, suggested.

The coordinates have nothing to do with the adjacent 4.6 sq km land plot that Cambodia claims is also part of the vicinity of the temple ruins. The Thai team will send the map and its coordinates as well as an explanation to the ICJ on Friday.

Cambodia will then send its reaction and the Thai team will communicate its response to the ICJ on May 3.

During oral hearings at the ICJ last week, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf from Somalia asked Thailand and Cambodia to define what they believed to be the "vicinity" of Preah Vihear and submit their findings to the court by Friday.

You can read the full, much longer story, here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/346691/thailand-1962-map-recalled-for-vicinity-battle

vicinity – an area near a particular place บริเวณใกลเคียง
watershed – a line of high land where streams on one side flow into one river, and streams on the other side flow into a different river สันปันน้ำ, บริเวณลุ่มน้ำ
key – the most important thing สิ่งที่สำคัญที่สุด
define – to describe clearly and exactly what something is  กำหนด,  ระบุ, ทำให้ชัดเจน
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
approval – agreement to do or accept something ความเห็นชอบด้วย
reaffirm – to give your support to a person, plan, idea, etc. for a second time; to strengthen ยืนยันใหม่
delineate – to show a line or border, for example on a map; to decide or show the exact limits of something พรรณนา
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
acknowledgement – letting someone know you have received something or the you understand what it is  การรับทราบ
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
lawyer – an attorney ทนาย
frontier – a border between two countries, especially one with official points where people or vehicles cross; nthe outer edge of a country or area that is the furthest point where people have started to live and build towns ชายแดน, พรมแดน, เขตแดน
conclude – to decide that something is true after looking at all the facts you have ตัดสินใจ, สรุป
coordinate – one of a set of numbers that give the exact position of something on a map or graph พิกัด, คู่อันดับซึ่งแสดงตำแหน่งของจุดในระนาบ
propose – to suggest an idea for a group to consider เสนอ
ruins – the remains of a building that has been badly damaged or destroyed ซากปรักหักพัง
ambassador – a senior official who lives in a foreign country and represents his or her own country there เอกอัครราชทูต
adjacent – very near, next to, or touching ติดกัน
plot – a piece of land used for a particular purpose ที่ดินแปลงเล็ก
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
reaction – the way something responds as a result of something that happens ปฏิกิริยา การตอบสนอง
communicate – to express thoughts, feelings, or information to another person or animal, for example by speaking or writing ติดต่อสื่อสาร
response – a reaction to something that has happened or been said การตอบสนอง
oral – spoken rather than written ที่ใช้การพูด