” Artificial information” about Cambodian troops conflicts
The authorities defended reports of Thai soldiers fighting with Vietnamese counterparts as fake news while claiming that the island’s current tourism situation is still favorable.
As the area in Trat state continues to make articles, the number of tourists is actually higher than for the exact time in recent years, said Jirayu Houngsub, an assistant to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on Sunday.
Koh Kut has been in the news as a result of pressure from some to rekindle discussions with Cambodia over the controversial Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) framework, which opponents fear could lead to Thailand losing territory.
The government is now trying to stop a flurry of false news accounts online that the media seems to have received.
“First of all, there was no such intense security situation between Thailand and Cambodia onKoh Kutas rumoured,” said Mr Jirayu, also spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office. Nor had military forces maintained on the island been reinforced as rumoured. A Cambodian military force was not present on the island either.
“And there has been no exodus ofKoh Kutresidents fleeing the island as rumoured. In reality, a growing number of visitors are queuing up to board a ferry to the island,” said Mr Jirayu. “I would also advise against people falling for the fake news about a skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia erupting on Koh Kut.
“Police have begun taking action against those who have violated the Computer Crime Act by spreading false information aboutKoh Kutonline. It carries a maximum five-year jail term and/or a maximum fine of 100,000 baht,” said Mr Jirayu.
Citing figures supplied by the local Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in Trat, he said reports that hotel and resort bookings have been cancelled following the rumoured security breakdown onKoh Kutwere also untrue.
Korakot Opas, director of the Trat provincial office of the TAT, likewise brushed aside claimsKoh Kuthad reported a 30% hotel cancellation rate.
The occupancy rate onKoh Kutfor November, December and January was 72.4% (35,570 local and international tourists), 74.51% (37,420) and 77.52% (39,810) respectively, based on data compiled from 20 hotels on the island, nine of which are five-star and four-star facilities, he said. Growth in tourist numbers is projected at 1% in this period, he said.
Ms Paetongtarn has tried to create confidence in visitors toKoh Kutthrough explanations from state agencies and by sending key government figures to visit the island, Mr Korakot said. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will visit the on Monday.
” The Po is focused on creating knowledge based on facts, not reports reports. We will begin a campaign to promote local hospitality.
Following Phumtham Wechayachai’s visit on Saturday, Mr. Anutin’s planned vacation will reaffirm Thailand’s regional authority over the island.
Mr. Phumtham downplayed concerns that the MoU signed during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration could lead to Thailand losing its island and the Gulf of Thailand’s overlapping claims area ( OCA ).
However, Thai Pakdee Party chairman Warong Dechgitvigrom, an opponent of the 2001 MoU, said Mr Phumtham did not need to argue thatKoh Kutbelongs to Thailand, as no one doubts it. But the real question is why the government allowed Cambodia to use the highest mountain peak onKoh Kutas a reference point for drawing its own version of the continental shelf.
He claimed that Cambodia’s version, which also includes Koh Kut, still has the power to make 26, 000 square kilometers of coastal locations in the Gulf of Thailand an OCA in the 2001 MoU.