Bangkok Post : WHC to decide on Preah Vihear temple plan tonight

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WHC to decide on Preah Vihear temple plan tonight

Published: 29/07/2010 at 05:23 PM
Online news: Local News

The World Heritage Committee is expected to decide on Cambodia's proposed management plan for Preah Vihear temple on Thursday night Thailand time, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti said in a television interview from Brazil on Thursday.

The committee, meeting in Brasilia, earlier postponed a decision on the issue for 24 hours to allow Thailand and Cambodia to iron out their dispute on the sidelines of the meeting.

The issue has been put on the agenda for 10am Brazil time, about 10pm Thursday Thailand time.

The postponement followed a protest in Bangkok and the Thai government's threat to resign its membership of the committee if it approves Cambodia's management plan.

Mr Suwit said Cambodia insists on pressing ahead with its management plan, which Thailand strongly opposes.

Speaking after a 45-minute discussion with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, who heads the Cambodian delegation, Mr Suwit said he would work to his best ability to protect Thailand’s national interest, but that what actually happens is up to the decision of all 21 WHC members. He however hoped that the WHC will comprehend the adverse impact that might occur if it endorses Cambodia’s plan.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in the afternoon that the conflict over Preah Vihear should be brought back into the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2000.

The MoU was about demarcating the boundary of Preah Vihear temple. The work was carried out by the Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on the Demarcation of the Land Boundary (JBC).

Mr Abhisit said the sidelines meeting between Thai and Cambodian diplomats during the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil had not been fruitful.

"Thailand has made it clear that we will accept Cambodia's management plan for the temple only if the temple is jointly listed between the two countries," he said.

The WHC approved Cambodia's listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site two years ago.

Responding to Cambodia foreign minister Hor Namhong's comments that Cambodian troops would fire at Thais who intrude into the disputed land, Mr Abhisit said that Thai security forces were prepared in case of violence.

He also said that Thailand's stance is not that much different from Cambodia's.

In Phnom Penh, Thai charge d'affaires Chalotorn Phaovibul, said that the situation along the Thai-Cambodia border was normal following Thailand's opposition to Cambodia's management plan for the temple.

Mr Chalotorn said he believed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen would not react until the World Heritage Committee decides whether to approve Cambodia's management plan for the ancient Hindu temple.

Any reinforcement of troops along the border is normal, he said, adding that he has not received reports of any unusual situation there.

The Foreign Ministry has instructed him to monitor Phnom Penh's reaction and reported back to Bangkok, he said.

No matter what the WHC's decision would be, Mr Chalotorn said he believed Thailand and Cambodia would each refrain from violence and use diplomatic means to solve their conflict.

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SPICEMAN

Discussion 14 : 31/07/2010 at 02:51 AM14
dragon #13, how so?
dragon

Discussion 13 : 30/07/2010 at 08:16 AM13
Study the fact, reveal the true! you won't get mad by the double standard.
Sam Nang

Discussion 12 : 30/07/2010 at 05:26 AM12
Thailand and Cambodia should be good friends but the problem is new Thai Government now is playing politic game to gain popularity by ignoring international law and orignal map. I think more and more countries in the world know who is the bad guy and who is a good guy.If thai people want to know about real Camboia and Thai histories please read the book from European countries because most history book in Thailand don't tell the truth .There are a lots more temples in Thailand now those belong to cambodian people before.
PP

Discussion 11 : 30/07/2010 at 05:01 AM11
If the heritage was thai in the past then it was lost at the time the borderline became Cambodian.
The borderline is what is important. Any country who has been fighting for the location of the borderline and lost, will of course also loose the right for that part of land. And I don't think the Cambodian will move it's border just because the heritage was thai in the past.
Now it must be considered in Cambodian property, the thai have nothing more to do there.
Let it go Thailand, beside Thailand have plenty to be proud of.
Looking Inn

Discussion 10 : 30/07/2010 at 03:43 AM10
Enough with the temple. The best part of the PM's statement is the part about coming under the framework of the MOU.

What short memories we have! Isn't this the same MOU that the PM and FM Kasit unilaterally declared null and void last year at the outset of the ASEAN summit in Hua Hin, ostensibly to punish Hun Sen for his choice of special economic advisor?

Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.
SPICEMAN

Discussion 9 : 30/07/2010 at 02:54 AM9
In 1982, the British Expeditionary Forces under PM Margie Thatcher sailed halfway around the world to wage a bloody war against the Argentine forces at Falklands, basically, a couple of worthless island just off Argentina.

After the British forces emerged victorious, the Argentine Govt collpased, but Margie Thatcher was/is nicknamed "The Iron Lady."

So the one who will lose face is the one who loses the war. Let see between Apisit vs Hun-Sen, who will be the next Asian "Iron Man?" But defeat will be the end of either one of them.

When shall we begin?
drake

Discussion 8 : 30/07/2010 at 01:40 AM8
Sue the French.
They corrupted the 1907 map.
The Perfect Fortune Teller

Discussion 7 : 29/07/2010 at 11:55 PM7
Thailand will lose face shamelessly in the face of the International Community who finally see the truth of the history of Thailand and Cambodia. The International community finally see the true Thailand's ugly, selfish behavior with jealousy and evil intention of intimidating and continue land expansion over a poor, neighboring country. They now know why Cambodia used to be the Empire in this entire Southeast Asian penninsula and now have been reduce into a small tiny land and is still continue to be reduce each year by Thailand from the East side.

My prediction will be simple. Thailand will lose!!! Either decision, Thailand will lose face and lose everything.
shakehead

Discussion 6 : 29/07/2010 at 11:06 PM6
Discussion 1&2&3
What are you talking about? Go and inform yourself before you repeat useless nationalistic propaganda. In 1962 the International court of justice (ICJ) was called in for a ruling and it fixed the borderline deviating from the watershed in the Preah Vihear area, placing all of the temple onto the Cambodian side. In fact, on that map of the ICJ, the temple is shown, and the border is drawn clearly north of the temple. If the ruling is not disputed by one country within ten years then it is deemed accepted.
Do you now suggest that an international organisation like UNESCO is suddenly giving in to unilateral nationalistic demands and not base its action on international treaties and rulings?
ricefieldradio

Discussion 5 : 29/07/2010 at 10:48 PM5
siamgoody - "a structure that is on a territory that is disputed" No one including Thailand is arguing the structure is not on Cambodian territory. Thailand and Cambodia are arguing about a piece of land on the approach to the temple. If Cambodia decided to give all the disputed land to Thailand the Temple structure would still be inside Cambodia.

See the map - http://bit.ly/b4wByG

Thailand agreed to the original border demarcation in 1907. Thailand tried to introduce a new map from the US instead of the map jointly agreed on in 1907 and lost.

As you can clearly see the temple is in Cambodia even with the use of the US map.