AFP
PHNOM PENH - FLARING nationalist sentiment in Thailand over a contested Hindu temple on the Cambodian border threatens to harm ties between the neighbours, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said on Friday.
The two countries have reached a deal setting out the border around the Preah Vihear temple, which Cambodia wants to have recognised by the UN's cultural body UNESCO as a World Heritage site, in hopes of drawing tourists.
But Thai Foreign Minister Noppadan Pattama has come under fire for agreeing to the deal, which became a key issue in a no-confidence debate against the Thai government this week.
The Thai government easily survived the vote of no confidence on Friday, but the debate has moved the temple to the forefront of domestic politics.
'Political parties in Thailand should not exploit the Preah Vihear temple issue in their domestic struggles. That could cause harm to the good cooperation and friendship between the two countries,' Mr Hor Namhong told reporters.
Cambodia this week closed the temple after more than 100 Thais marched to the compound to protest the deal, which they say resulted in Thailand losing territory at the border point.
Mr Hor Namhong insisted that Thailand will not lose any territory.
'The drawing of the Preah Vihear map to be listed as a World Heritage site does not affect the border at all,' Mr Hor Namhong told reporters. 'Thailand will not lose even one centimetre of land.' Cambodia last year attempted to have the ancient Hindu temple, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border, listed by UNESCO. But that effort failed, amid rumours Thailand had blocked the deal.
Cambodia began seeking World Heritage status for the temple, which has long plagued relations between the two countries, nearly six years ago.
Both countries have historically laid claim to the site, which sits on Cambodian soil but can only be easily accessed from Thailand.
Former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk took Thailand to the World Court in 1962 over the two countries' claim to Preah Vihear. The court ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia.
The two countries have reached a deal setting out the border around the Preah Vihear temple, which Cambodia wants to have recognised by the UN's cultural body UNESCO as a World Heritage site, in hopes of drawing tourists.
But Thai Foreign Minister Noppadan Pattama has come under fire for agreeing to the deal, which became a key issue in a no-confidence debate against the Thai government this week.
The Thai government easily survived the vote of no confidence on Friday, but the debate has moved the temple to the forefront of domestic politics.
'Political parties in Thailand should not exploit the Preah Vihear temple issue in their domestic struggles. That could cause harm to the good cooperation and friendship between the two countries,' Mr Hor Namhong told reporters.
Cambodia this week closed the temple after more than 100 Thais marched to the compound to protest the deal, which they say resulted in Thailand losing territory at the border point.
Mr Hor Namhong insisted that Thailand will not lose any territory.
'The drawing of the Preah Vihear map to be listed as a World Heritage site does not affect the border at all,' Mr Hor Namhong told reporters. 'Thailand will not lose even one centimetre of land.' Cambodia last year attempted to have the ancient Hindu temple, perched on a mountaintop on the Thai-Cambodia border, listed by UNESCO. But that effort failed, amid rumours Thailand had blocked the deal.
Cambodia began seeking World Heritage status for the temple, which has long plagued relations between the two countries, nearly six years ago.
Both countries have historically laid claim to the site, which sits on Cambodian soil but can only be easily accessed from Thailand.
Former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk took Thailand to the World Court in 1962 over the two countries' claim to Preah Vihear. The court ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia.
19 comments:
It is about time that we say some thing to the agressive Thai. Tell the Thai we will boycott Thai businesses and close down Preah Vihear temple north gate for a long time if they do not recognize and obey the 1962 world court decision. We should increase our troops at the Preah Vihear temple also just in case the Thai has a wrong idea to steal it back from us.
We don't need their recognition, just build a wall to prevent them the access to Preah Vihear and that's it.
To Thailand!
1. Can you proof that any prior 1962 that Preah Vihear temple area belong to you?.
2. Can you respect the World International Court?
3. Why do you insist keepin to confuse yourself, your own population?
4. Did Cambodia ever envade Thailand land, where?
I would advice that you, Thailand, please stay peace, so that you don't get heart attack. Thanks!
Just like King Sihanouk did in the 60's. Close all borders. Replace 90% of goods that are imported from Thailand with Chineses, Koreans...etc
I bet Thailand's economy will face more trouble.
Definitly dear all I totally support you. We, Khmer should do something to stop the thieves Siamese agression not to fullishing us any longer regarding Preah Vihear issue. They have no right what so ever to claim such athing ever belong to them in the first place, this attitud is clearly, intentionally wanted to eradicate step by step the proprety owner off the world MAP, to prevent no contest of the ownership to the future, then they proclaim to the world that they're the pure Khmer Nation entile to own all the Khmers Heritages as many of you have been seen in the Siamese flight Magazine in the past 30 years. This is the cunny idiology of this thieves that Make Khmer Nation look bad toward Ah thieves Siamese.
Down, and shame on you !
They plane to give only the palace to Cambodia that why ah Hun Xen kick people out of Phnom Penh for ah Youn and ah Siam!to divide the country.
The damage cannot be undone. Fuck the Siam.
There's no need for Thailand for recognition. Preah Vihea belongs to Cambodia period. I think the Cambodian leaderships MUST be smart enough not to neggoiate with Thai government this issue. Under the regime of HUN SEN and their party they already done lots fo damage to the country. They sold out and destroy all the natural in a lovely land Cambodia. Please wake up Khmers inside and outside. If you do not stand up for yourself who's gonna do for you. You MUST stand up and fight from inside and pick the new leadership for your own future.
obviously, thailand is still claiming and still using the same old things they did when the court ruled in 1962. this is so illegal, i hope unesco will take the court decision into consideration when they make decision in july. i bet you whne unesco use laws and make their decision in favor of cambdoia again, there is nothing in the world the criminal siem can do about it, whatsoever exeption crying in tantrum until they all die of old age or heart attack or something along that line. god won't help those sinful acts.
debate all they want until their heart content or until they all die of old age or heart attack or whichever comes first. the 1962 court decision will no doubt reign above all else. trust me, that is the magic words for cambodia, the court ruling of 1962, nothing less. thank you and god bless cambodia.
HOW ABOUT THE KILED IN FIGHT LIKE RAT 3"36 AM? ARE WE GUILTY?
SIAME BY CREE
Wrong, 3:36, without the French backing Cambodia, Things will not be the same on an appeal.
whether our khmer gov't negotiate with them or not, the 1962 court ruling is the law and nothing they try can change that. it's plain and simple. this is why the world has laws so thieves like pad thugs can not fabricate more excuses to justify their criminal activities against cambodia whose people are the offsprings of the almighty khmer civilization and we all very much know this.
TO 5:54 AM
You are absolutely right 5:54 am,without the french backing,Cambodia might be part of Thailand today.And Thailand today would be another Yugoslavy with war at every corner of the country.The khmer,the South muslim,the so called thai issan who are lao origin would rise up for their own independent state.So lucky that the thai did not swallow the whole cambodia in the past,otherwise POL POT might had given them all kind of trouble,or maybe the world won't even have thailand by now.
Believe me Thailand will be like Yugoslavia. Thailand will be divided into pieces!!!!!!!!!And Khmer will take our provinces back..
yes dear as seldomly I use to say, Ah Siamese you're next!don't be so arrogant. Khmer is wanted to reunited our Brothers & Sisters. Khmer all once again will build a big and stronger Nation in souteast asia.
God bless Khmer all!
No way, 9:08, without the French Khmer people will be united with the Khmer-Thai, and we'll have peace forever. There will not be any dispute over Preah Vihear, Ankor Wat, ..., or any other temple, and veryone will benefited from everything jointly.
Jointly my fucking ass 10:56! Ur head is full of shit! I cant believe it when living in this century and Siem people still have evil mind about neighboring country.
Let us boycott all those Siem products, I wont use any Siem products no more. Fuck 'em siem and to hell with them!!
It is not evil for Khmer in Thailand to want their temple back.
And forget about boycotting anything from anywhere. In case you don't know, we got a double digit inflation to hack yet.
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