Thailand to seek review of Preah Vihear's heritage status

News » Politics

Thailand to seek review of Preah Vihear's heritage status

Published: 17/06/2009 at 01:47 PM
Online news: Art & Culture

Thailand will ask the World Heritage Committee to review the decision to register Preah Vihear temple, on the border of Si Sa Ket province, as a World Heritage site under the sole supervision of Cambodia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday.

Last year, the World Heritage Committee (WHC), which operates under the auspices of Unesco, registered Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, as proposed by Cambodia, and required Phnom Penh to set up an International Coordinating Committee to preserve the temple.

Mr Abhisit said the cabinet on Tuesday agreed the request should be submitted to this year's 33rd session of the WHC, to be held in Seville, Spain, from June 22-30.

At the meeting, Cambodia is due to report on the state of conservation of the ancient khmer temple.

The prime minister said a delegation of the Thai world heritage committee led by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti will tell the meeting that the registration of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site had brought about conflict and losses, and this would appear to be against Unesco's objectives in having heritage sites.

The prime minister said a World Heritage site is supposed to be an area where traces of culture and history are preserved, allowing tourists to see and admire them. But the registration of Preah Vihear had caused more conflict between the peoples of Thailand and Cambodia.

Mr Abhisit said Preah Vihear should be registered jointly as a World Heritage site by Thailand and Cambodia, not just by one country.

"I want to see the temple a peaceful area so that the people of the two countries can jointly benefit from this site of high historical importance," said the prime minister.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, the PM's deputy secretary-general and acting government spokesman, said Mr Suwit would attend the WHC meeting as a member of the Thai world heritage committee. He would submit the protest letter in the name of the committee, not the Thai government.

Thailand was not protesting against Cambodia's application that Preah Vihear be listed as a World Heritage site, but against the decision approving the insciption of the temple, which had caused more problems, he said.

Mr Panithan said many cabinet ministers expressed concern over this matter, saying that it is sensitive and could affect Thai-Cambodian relations.

The Foreign Ministry in May warned Unesco about the activities of officials and experts at Preah Vihear temple.

Virachai Plasai, head of the ministry's Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, reaffirmed to the chief of Unesco's information and knowledge management unit, Clive Wing, that UN officials and experts could travel through disputed areas around the temple only with the permission of Thai authorities.

The ministry had reminded Unesco in March that only the main building of the Preah Vihear temple was inscripted as a World Heritage site, where the UN and the World Heritage Committee could work.

The wider promontory, cliff and cave were not included - so Unesco officials could not pass through these areas without Thai permission.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand claims surrounding areas. The disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres has not been demarcated.

About the author

Writer: BangkokPost.com

Keep this article in your social bookmark:

Latest stories in this category:

Share your thoughts

For more candid, lengthy, conversational and open discussion between one another, use our Forum

Report objectionable comments click here. Include: discussion #, commenter name, comment date / time as it looks on the page. Example: discussion 15: 09/01/2009 at 10:00 AM.

Gen

Discussion 44 : 08/07/2009 at 12:26 AM44
Thailand have always been a backstabber and thief to their neighboring countries. This bully have been like that for years and the other country let it happen for too long now. But now its 2009 and Thailand must stop the greediness. Khmer have build and name the Vihear since ancient so I find it disturbing that Thai want to rename it to how they want to call it. I find it disrespectful to the Khmer ancestor who built it for Khmer civilization and not for Thai greedy needs. Thai always want to claim what is not theirs and and have been for centuries with the many ancient Khmer temples sitting in Thailand. Khmer have never stir up any issue about that because Khmer admitted to have lost it and try to make peace with Thailand. But Khmer is also protecting what is left of their country and pride. Thailand gov should be ashame of themselves and what they are teaching their people.
DoesItMatter

Discussion 43 : 23/06/2009 at 01:28 PM43
The world belongs to no one. It is a business of power and greed.

If it has no economic value, no politician will fight for it.

If it is about culture, no one will fight. It's about money that comes with it, about the resouces nearby, and about power to influence and change things.

Civilians are the sufferers. Whatever the result is, kill me if no body die from this conflict. There have been some deaths and there will be more coming.
nonamehere

Discussion 42 : 19/06/2009 at 07:52 PM42
Thanks TruthHurts for the comment.
Danong Santevie

Discussion 41 : 19/06/2009 at 01:55 PM41
I feel ashame as i am thai.
We are the one who set the fire... and now it it time for mr. abhishit to solve it out... don't make us dissappointed again and again.
K.T

Discussion 40 : 19/06/2009 at 12:13 PM40
Thai is a beautiful country, why the PM makes the people ashamed with kind of statement. He is wrong thinking that his act would gain his popularity from his people.
Alex

Discussion 39 : 19/06/2009 at 10:29 AM39
Spiceman, stop barking! You're just offending people and you're not giving us any particular reason for listening to your fuzzy logics. This article and thread are about Preah Vihear, not China, Darfur, the Falklands or whatever else, which is precisely why we're all talking about PV and nothing else. Or are we supposed to mention about all of the world's territorial disputes every time we talk about one of them? Stop being silly and try to join the discussion in a civilized way, without childish calls for war and violence. I still have to read any thoughtful and constructive comment from you.
Doy Moeuy

Discussion 38 : 19/06/2009 at 08:40 AM38
To Abhisit, if you want Preah Vihear area to be a peaceful place, stop claiming what is not yours. Stop being hypocrite! You told Hun Sen that Thailand would not use any force to resolve the dispute which is caused by TAI, when you're back to your country, you said differently.

To DCYY5, be more civilized people. Google earth does not have any legal and binding effect. Thank you for asking the question about Pimai temple. But I would refer the question to your ancestors, how is the temple in TAI soil (which was of Khmer)? One thing I am sure about is that Khmer ancestors who has built a lot of temples has always dedicated those works for Khmer people and heir children, not other nationals.
John Pornitha

Discussion 37 : 19/06/2009 at 02:33 AM37
Thailand's narrow-minded attitude benefits no-one.

The prime minister said a World Heritage site is supposed to be an area where traces of culture and history are preserved, allowing tourists to see and admire them. But the registration of Preah Vihear had caused more conflict between the peoples of Thailand and Cambodia. Mr Abhisit said
"I want to see the temple a peaceful area so that the people of the two countries can jointly benefit from this site of high historical importance," said the prime minister.

The only poeple who prevent cambodia to protect and develop the temple and its vicinity are the NARROW MINDED THAILAND. Con Thai are the one who brought trouble into the area. This has been the idiot agenda all along...I feel SADDEN to be Thai.
SPICEMAN

Discussion 36 : 19/06/2009 at 12:59 AM36
Comment #34, "We are in the 21st century, you can't go around grabbing land," really? What do you call the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the recent beating the crab out of people over there? Also, how's about genocide in Rwanda and Dafur? Can you tell me what business the British still have occupying Falkland, half a world away?

May be you can tell me why international law regarding borderline work so well everywhere else in the world, except Thailand, Tibet, and Argentina? The fact is the world operates on an aggressive use of force. That's why smart ass like you don't bark at China for invading Tibet or UK for occupying Falkland.

Who cares for a bunch of unelected nobodies in the damn World Heritage Committee who are accountable to no one. How's about they telling China to get the hell out of Tibet first before come talking to us about their Preah Vihear bullshit. You don't mess with other country's national security.
22.55

Discussion 35 : 18/06/2009 at 10:57 PM35
Khmer too had no true culture. They stole indian architecture, indian gods, indian epics.