POLITICS
The Senate and the House have forwarded petitions to the Constitution Court asking if the cabinet's endorsement of the joint communique with Cambodia on Preah Vihear temple violates the constitution. Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej said he forwarded a petition signed by 77 senators to the court on Tuesday.
The court will rule whether a cabinet resolution endorsing the joint communique with Cambodia to support Phnom Penh's application to list the Preah Vihear temple as a new World Heritage site is constitutional. The communique was signed by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob said he also forwarded a petition by the Democrat party to the Constitution Court on July 1. It asked the same question.
On Saturday, the Administrative Court issued a temporary injunction against the cabinet resolution.
The Democrats will await a ruling from the charter court before deciding whether to seek Mr Noppadon's impeachment, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said. Meanwhile, the government should notify the World Heritage Committee of the Administrative Court's ruling.
He said his party had no intention of hurting relations with Cambodia.
Pongpol Adireksarn, chairman of the Thai world heritage committee, believed the World Heritage Committee would consider the court's injunction before deciding the Preah Vihear temple case.
The World Heritage Committee started a nine-day meeting in Quebec, Canada, yesterday with a total of 47 sites being considered for World Heritage status.
Of these, 19 have been approved in principle by the committee, said Mr Pongpol. The Preah Vihear case was one of the 19 but the committee advised Cambodia to get Thailand's consent before seeking final approval.
On senators' call for Thai delegates attending the meeting in Quebec to withdraw from Unesco if the World Heritage Committee endorses Cambodia's listing of the temple, he said they could not.
Thailand is a Unesco member and withdrawal needs approval by parliament, he said.
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