Army plans troop cuts near temple

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Army plans troop cuts near temple

World Heritage Committee to review site listing

Published: 1/07/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The army plans to reduce troop numbers around the disputed Preah Vihear temple in a bid to ease border tensions with Cambodia.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda yesterday said there would be a reduction soon in the number of soldiers deployed around the mountain, where the ruins of the ancient Hindu temple sit, to comply with a recent agreement reached with Cambodia.

The agreement was reached between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon at the weekend, he said.

"But there won't be a complete pullout. It will simply be an adjustment to bring down the number of troops stationed there," Gen Anupong said.

"We still need troops in the area to reinforce our position that the area is ours."

Troop numbers around Preah Vihear should be reduced to the level the army maintained before the recent reinforcements were called in, Gen Anupong said. No exact timeframe has been set for the reduction. Further talks would be needed to specify troop levels that both sides would find acceptable, he said.

An informed source said there were currently around 5,000 Cambodian troops and 3,000 Thai soldiers in the disputed area.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti told the cabinet yesterday Unesco's World Heritage Committee (WHC) had decided not to review the temple listing as a World Heritage site until its annual meeting in Brazil next year, as requested by Thailand.

Mr Suwit, who has just returned from observing the WHC meeting in Seville in Spain, said the committee's decision was to allow Thailand to make better preparations for its objections to Phnom Penh's push to have the temple listed.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the Thai delegation had asked the WHC to comply with regulation 13, one of the World Heritage listing regulations.

The regulation states that a bilateral listing would replace a unilateral listing if the listing had led to growing border conflicts between two concerned parties, he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the WHC's decision had helped keep the efforts to resolve the Thai-Cambodian border dispute on track.

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Writer: WASSANA NANUAM and PRADIT RUANGDIT

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Khmer Blood

Discussion 14 : 01/07/2009 at 09:11 PM14
To Spiceman

I think you are very bias yourself. If you say UNESCO is picking on Thailand. You must be joking.
I think you should look back on your own history book (maybe Thailand never ever has a history book because no one is brave enough to put it into record and Thai never knows how to share, only knows how to take with both hands).

The way you have been expressing yourself just clearly shows that you do not accept the reality and the rules of law. It shows that YOU WOULD BE HAPPY IF EVERYONE AGREES TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THEY HAVE. However, it is not the way of life. This shows how greedy you are as a person. You will never be satisfy if you can't live in the world of reality.

I am not asking you to look back into the history of 1000 years ago, but I think at least you should go back and check every documents from 1904 - 1962 to see if your elder citizens have done something for you and if you want to blame it is better to put them on your politicians not your neighbour.The world has acknowledged that the Preah Vihear Temple has always been in the Kingdom of Cambodia. That's why we got it listed as World Heritage.
Silverback

Discussion 13 : 01/07/2009 at 04:00 PM13
The question is simple and it is not related to who own the temple.
The question that we should all ask is: "why they are talking so much about something so insignificant?"
I am afraid there is only one answer to this. They are trying to bring the public's attention away from more serious problems. Problems that the governmental appear to be completely inefficient to solve.
So, better having people talking about the WHC rather than about the civil war in the south (just to cite an example)
boon

Discussion 12 : 01/07/2009 at 11:12 AM12
Been to Cambodia recently. People there are saying - The Temple belongs to Cambodia people - full stop. If you want war, you are most welcome. You expect a cordial win-win negotiation on all other disputed bordered issues - forget about it. You want a win-win business deal - I doubt your sincerity. Your present government does not represent the true voice of the people.
Dara

Discussion 11 : 01/07/2009 at 10:36 AM11
To Bas,

Cambodia wants peace. Who created problem in this border problem? everybody know man. Thai created problem first. PAD, democratic party .....etc

civilized, your country is foundation of ASEAN, you should think more.

By your reaction with this border issue and your country (Thailand) don't respect to international law. It will affected to your country in the future. Nobody will listen to you when you want to solve international problem.

It is ashame.

i'm tired to write more...........
Max Neo

Discussion 10 : 01/07/2009 at 09:34 AM10
"The regulation states that a bilateral listing would replace a unilateral listing if the listing had led to growing border conflicts between two concerned parties"

That's why Thailand is making up more and more problem.....they play a very high price game by risking their people lives and the tie with their neighbour.
Cambodian Youth

Discussion 9 : 01/07/2009 at 09:07 AM9
Dear Richard & PrimeMinister,
I would like to thanking both of you so much that taking your time to wrote more about what thailand has been doing for their neighbor countries.

You should give up your ambition idea to invade Cambodia any more. Otherwise, your people will get the experiences like Cambodian people. Our nation no need the malitary fighting anymore.

I don't understand why some high educated people don't realize their histry, ambition and like to make troubles with their neighbors. Look! around ourself, Cambodia, Burma, Malaysia and Lao.

think again
SPICEMAN

Discussion 8 : 01/07/2009 at 08:59 AM8
When the Americans went to war against the Mexicans over California & Texas, no one gave a damn. The same when the British sailed halfway around the world to wage a bloody war against the Argentites over a pair of small worthless islands full of sheep known as Falksland. Or when the Chinese took over the whole nation of Tibet and beat the crap of the Tibetans. But when Thiland tries to enforce its border, all the sudden, all hells break loose.

Unless, UNESCO can explain to us why it keeps picking on Thailand but not the US, UK, or China, it has nothing on us. The law must be applied equally to all nations or none at all. Unless we want to be the biggest loser of the whole world.
borderline

Discussion 7 : 01/07/2009 at 08:51 AM7
""The regulation states that a bilateral listing would replace a unilateral listing if the listing had led to growing border conflicts between two concerned parties"".

If this is true, Is this the reason why Thailand is creating the problem ? ... mean indeed.
PrimeMinister

Discussion 6 : 01/07/2009 at 08:21 AM6
To Bas:

I know you are Siam. So what you think is absolutely the benifit of Siam country. Ok let me review your past histroy. Where were your nation come from before 1000 ago. You just one part of Chiness that seek the satlment. So that is not different from burglery. And now what is the different? itis not quite the same. You siam nation always save the extrem ambitiouse to invade the neighboring country. But unfortunately in this 21st century, you can not say big country with modernized weapon can win the war. just imagin the US troop in Iraq and Afganistan. what the result? Lost right? So your nation can go deep into the cas. Think again.
Richard

Discussion 5 : 01/07/2009 at 08:17 AM5
To Bas,

I understand your feeling Bas. I know you are Thais and I know how you feel. However, living up to the truth is really worthy; otherwise, we don't deserve to live on earth. Let's me ask you a question. Who do you think start the conflict? The world can see. I am not saying you are uneducated, from your English writing, it sounds to me that you are an educated person.

Anyways, just try to solve your own problem. It would be great that you don't get others involved in get the people attention. Trust me, it is just shameful to you all. I also have a lot of Thais PhD students who are friends of mine.

Back to the questions you asked Anh. Thailand is a civilized country by saying but not by doing. The elite people always look down on the working class people. The country which is controlled by the soldier.

Regarding border issue.You don't need to look back too long, just within the past 10-15 years. You got the problem with Laos. The whole Isann area belong to Laos. You got the problem with malaysia that is why you still have problem in the South. You also got problems with Burma. Anyways, you always get problems with your neibours since you always wish to get advantages from your neibors rather than living together peacefully.

Many mores, so tired of writing though