NEWS THINK
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
All eyes in Thailand and Cambodia are on the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec tomorrow, when the Preah Vihear issue is on the table for 21 committee members to decide.
The temple is among 13 natural and 34 cultural sites proposed by 41 countries to go on the World Heritage List.
One issue which needs close scrutiny is which map Cambodia has proposed to the committee, after the Administrative Court in Bangkok last Saturday issued a temporary injunction against the cabinet resolution to endorse the joint communique signed by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.
A map redrawn by Phnom Penh is attached to the joint communique. The map was agreed by the Thai side as the temple boundary which it proposes be listed does not touch on the 4.6-square kilometre overlapping area claimed by both countries.
If Cambodia has changed its mind and brings the old map to propose to the committee, the Thai government must protest, because it also includes the disputed area.
Regardless of what happens in Quebec, the issue will not end there.
If the Cambodian government is successful in getting the temple listed, people upset about the Thai government's handling of this issue, may step up their complaints. The People's Alliance for Democracy may raise protests to another level to quickly oust Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government.
Some academics and politicians in the Senate, parliament and even the government coalition parties oppose Cambodia's application to list the temple.
In contrast, if the committee decides to defer consideration for another year due to the lack of Thailand's active support and the many opposing petitions received from the Thai side, it will be interesting to see how Cambodian people will react to the deferral and what would happen in Phnom Penh.
The committee could cite Article 11 which says the inclusion of a property in the World Heritage List requires the consent of the states concerned as a reason not to accept the Cambodian proposal.
The temple is in the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear but access is on the Thai side in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket. Some ancient ruins relating to the temple are also on Thai soil and in the area disputed by Thailand and Cambodia.
The Cambodian government will lose face as Prime Minister Hun Sen is using the inscription of the temple as a campaign for election on July 27. Cambodians might get angry.
As it is unknown who will win this battle, Thai diplomats, businessmen and people living in Cambodia must stay vigilant. Thailand learned a lesson in 2003 when its embassy and business properties were burned down in riots launched by Cambodians, in a protest against remarks by a Thai actress Suwanan Kongying.
Cambodian cabinet members say the government does not want to see a repeat of what happened in 2003.
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