A group unfolds a banner outside the Cambodian embassy to protest against Phnom Penh's bid to register the Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site. They tried to hand a protest letter to the embassy, but no one came out to accept it. — KOSOL NAKACHOLThailand to co-host bid to get Preah Vihear listed by Unesco
Saturday June 28, 2008
APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Bangkok Post
Thailand's world heritage committee has decided to co-host the nomination of Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site with Cambodia. The committee, chaired by newly-appointed chairman Pongpol Adireksarn, also agreed that the listing of the ancient Hindu temple should not cover only the temple, but also the area around the temple, which is on Thai soil.
Phnom Penh will propose Preah Vihear to a meeting of the 21-member Unesco World Heritage Committee, which starts in Quebec on July 2.
''We have agreed in principle that Thailand and Cambodia should be co-hosts in the nomination of the temple,'' said Mr Pongpol, who succeeded former committee chairman Prof Adul Vichiencharoen.
However, Mr Pongpol said, the Foreign Ministry would have the final say on Thailand's stance and will play a key role in negotiations on the Preah Vihear temple issue at the Quebec meeting next month.
Mr Pongpol said the committee agreed that the ministry should take the lead role because the issue is sensitive and has been having a strong impact on Thai-Cambodian relations.
He added that the ministry had confirmed its position to the Thai world heritage committee yesterday, saying it supports Phnom Penh's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple registered on the World Heritage list as announced in the controversial joint communique.
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed the joint communique with his Cambodian counterpart on June 18, supporting the nomination of the Hindu temple as a world heritage site.
The move has drawn fierce protests from the public, the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the opposition, who fear Thailand will lose part of its territory if Cambodia is given world heritage status for the temple.
The PAD on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Administrative Court, demanding the court nullify the cabinet resolution allowing the foreign minister to sign the joint communique.
The Thai world heritage committee chairman, however, downplayed the public concern, saying the ministry had been extremely cautious over the borderline issue.
''The ministry officials told us that Thailand will not lose one square inch of territory if Cambodia nominates the temple as a world heritage site,'' said Mr Pongpol, who is a former deputy chief of the defunct Thai Rak Thai party.
Mr Pongpol added that he hoped Unesco's World Heritage Committee would take into account the importance of the temple area and consider it to be part of the world heritage site.
Walwipha Charoenroj, an expert from the Thai Khadi Research Institute, said the committee chairman's stance on the controversial issue was disappointing.
''Does it mean that he and the committee members will not make any objection to the temple's nomination? Mr Pongpol should make his position clear on such an important matter,'' said the academic, who led the protests against the joint communique.
A source inside the committee said if the Cambodian bid is endorsed by Unesco, Phnom Pehn will have full authority to manage the Preah Vihear temple as the owner of the world heritage site.
This will bring many difficulties to the Thai side in the future, he said.
''Thailand will have an equal right to manage the site only if the country is a co-host of the world heritage site proposal.
''And this will lead to better management of the site,'' he added.
Phnom Penh will propose Preah Vihear to a meeting of the 21-member Unesco World Heritage Committee, which starts in Quebec on July 2.
''We have agreed in principle that Thailand and Cambodia should be co-hosts in the nomination of the temple,'' said Mr Pongpol, who succeeded former committee chairman Prof Adul Vichiencharoen.
However, Mr Pongpol said, the Foreign Ministry would have the final say on Thailand's stance and will play a key role in negotiations on the Preah Vihear temple issue at the Quebec meeting next month.
Mr Pongpol said the committee agreed that the ministry should take the lead role because the issue is sensitive and has been having a strong impact on Thai-Cambodian relations.
He added that the ministry had confirmed its position to the Thai world heritage committee yesterday, saying it supports Phnom Penh's bid to have the Preah Vihear temple registered on the World Heritage list as announced in the controversial joint communique.
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed the joint communique with his Cambodian counterpart on June 18, supporting the nomination of the Hindu temple as a world heritage site.
The move has drawn fierce protests from the public, the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the opposition, who fear Thailand will lose part of its territory if Cambodia is given world heritage status for the temple.
The PAD on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Administrative Court, demanding the court nullify the cabinet resolution allowing the foreign minister to sign the joint communique.
The Thai world heritage committee chairman, however, downplayed the public concern, saying the ministry had been extremely cautious over the borderline issue.
''The ministry officials told us that Thailand will not lose one square inch of territory if Cambodia nominates the temple as a world heritage site,'' said Mr Pongpol, who is a former deputy chief of the defunct Thai Rak Thai party.
Mr Pongpol added that he hoped Unesco's World Heritage Committee would take into account the importance of the temple area and consider it to be part of the world heritage site.
Walwipha Charoenroj, an expert from the Thai Khadi Research Institute, said the committee chairman's stance on the controversial issue was disappointing.
''Does it mean that he and the committee members will not make any objection to the temple's nomination? Mr Pongpol should make his position clear on such an important matter,'' said the academic, who led the protests against the joint communique.
A source inside the committee said if the Cambodian bid is endorsed by Unesco, Phnom Pehn will have full authority to manage the Preah Vihear temple as the owner of the world heritage site.
This will bring many difficulties to the Thai side in the future, he said.
''Thailand will have an equal right to manage the site only if the country is a co-host of the world heritage site proposal.
''And this will lead to better management of the site,'' he added.
26 comments:
What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Therefore, this may be a solution because once listed, it is considered belonging to the world not the sponsoring countries including the Thai land which partially surrounds it.
You@10.44PM
No the meaning of the Convention adopted by UNSECO in 1972 does not mean like that. It is your interpretation in favor to your country benefit. I am not Cambodian or Khmer people. Preah Vihear temple is not sourounded by Thailand. If so Cambodia is sourounded by Thailand because this temple is on Cambodia teritory. it is not logic. See the international judgement on this issue.
In the world there are many world haritage sites including buildings or temples. Do you want other countries to co-manage that sites while they are in your own country? Can you allow Cambodia's right to manage Ayuthya site? in the past this old city is one of Khmer properties now in Thailand. No way...
Yes, It is belonging to the world but the host country where the site listed have obligation to protect and manage it. That is why UNESCO asks every country who submit the application form have to make sure that it is included with the management plan in the future.
Too nationalist may blind you from the truth.
I agree with you. 10:44PM
In my opinion, Thai tries to play trict in order to seek benifits from the Khmer temple.
Benifit# 1: Thai has its name on the application in the world stage.
Benifit# 2: Thai wants to make biz out of the Khmer temple.
benifit# 3: as time passes by, thai is going to take control over the Khmer Temple completely.
It is going be STUPID and DUMP AZZ for Cambodian current regime if the regime allows Thaicong taking advantage of what belongs to Cambodia.
The question is which part of Preah Vihear belong to Thai soil?
the surrounding land in dispute area?
Is that belong to Thai.
If the surrounding is still in dispute
how can the temple be jointly manged?
If Cambodia accept to joint host with Thai mean we accept the surrounding area belong to Thai, which of course violate the Court ruling.
Thailand is part of the earth and earth belong to all, let we all go to live in Thailand.
Why do we care much about that UNESCO's recognition. UNESCO is only an international organization. they have no legitimacy in making any significant decision with regard to national sovereignty. Our sovereignty is more important. World heritage is only symbolic thing. But sovereignty is material thing. They are different. But if we allow Thai to co-manage the surrounding area, this create pretext for Thailand to reclaim the area in question. Cambodia wold be more vulnerable.
Let close the border and develop the temple by ourselves independently. This will hurt Thailand a lot. They cannot benefit from tourists. And tourists chose to fly direct to Cambodia. Given the situation in Thailand now in Bangkok and in Southern provinces, tourists will not chose Thailand . The investment will come to Cambodia. World heritage is only symbol. The recognition could be removed any time. Now Preach Vihear is well known to the world already because of this conflict. So do not care much about world heritage list, care about sovereignty and benefit for the people.
Now all people all the world know that the radical nationalism in Thailand hijack their democracy and international reputation.
Regardless what the Thai prolong or stall the bid, they have no absolute right at all.
HUN SEN needs to tell them NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!!!! that the Thai have any share with this.
can someone tell me what these students stance actually are? What do they think about Preah Vihear? What have they been taught in their university that they shamelessly make demands Cambodia return benefits of Preah Vihear to share with them?
Seem also some never got the fact that Preah Vihear is a KHMER relic.
Politicians are very selfish. They only think of their own parties. They forgot the people, they forgot that Thailand needed to catch up on economic growth and job. The recent millitary coupe in Thailand had cause plenty of damage if they are not careful. The symptom does show up until sometime after the coupe.
thailand and its so called pad thugs are obviously meddling with the affairs of cambodia. that is a huge violation of the international right of a nation's sovereignty. shame on you people, thailand. not only you and your country show contempt of the international court of 1962, you people also violated the rights of a sovereigned nation of cambodia. i'm sure, cambodia will see you in court again and khmer people will demand your gov't to pay huge fine for this violation. it will happen if you continue to disrespect cambodia and the international court of justice ruling. god bless cambodia.
We don't really care about the Siam fantasy just go on with the listing.
i know, there is an obviously illegal or criminal intention on the part of thailand. just read their bias report from the nation newspaper or the bangcock post, etc., if the readers analyze their reports in detail, words by words, they (thailand's writers) often say in, of course, their typical bias tone, that they have to do this because if cambodia listed unilaterally, thailand can lose any future claim on preah vihear. so there, this is the obvious illegal, disrespectful and contempt of court kind of statement from the thai thieves themselves, no one else, but themselves said this to the world, and now they expect cambodia and the entire world community not to see how ignorant and criminally-minded they and their politicians are toward another sovereigned nation.
i guess, thailand often forget that not all khmer people are that dumb as they think we are. must they forget that cambodian people are human beings just like them. just because cambodia has a different point of view or something doesn't make us less of a human being than them. i think this is the root of the problem between khmer people and siem people. i thought they wanted to make friends with cambodia and wanted to be humanitarian, etc... i thought they are better people than cambodia at least cambodia have a good excuses like the civil war, the KR atrocity, etc..., i don't see any legitimate excuses from thailand and their siem people make any sense, except to confuse and misleading their own people further and further. enough already, thailand. do you want to be friends with cambodia or not? it's your choice, so show us, however if you chose evil than don't blame cambodia for your own stupid mistake.
look, of course, preah vihear will become a world heritage, so what is the big commotion or big fuss about cambodia's listing it, beside your obvious criminal intent like i mentioned above. once it is a world heritage site, it is permanent. then, all the world's people, of course, include siem people, will and can visit this sacred site along with all the people of the world who can really and truly appreciated the great and unique achievement of the khmer civilization. but i see, you people, didn't even want that as your protest and arrogant are showing right now. instead, you people try to prevent or defer the process thinking you might win in an illegal claim that it belongs to thailand even after the court ruling. how pathetic can anyone get when they see you and your people so disrespect of cambodia and the court like this!
everything you guys are saying seems indeed to contradict the spirit of unesco, and you expect unesco to think like you? i, on behalf of all khmer people would not be surprised a bit if and when unesco meets and they will think differently from you, thailand. i hope you can understand say what i am saying as i assume you people can read and understand english. get with the program. preah vihear temple and the 4.6 km2 area is not your and the court had decided already. god bless cambodia.
Who would give a fuck! This is purely Thaicong domestic political game to get even with their political archenemy! It is the Thaicong who are the loser and the winner and Cambodia will not be part of it!
isn't it unethical or unprofessional for the media like in thailand to be biased in their reports on cambodia? one has to has how credible the ignorant thai media are. cambodia would not give any credit to them; their media is very biased in their report, and they called themselves democracy! in disguise, perhaps.
don't forget to mention they are good at it, i mean being biased in their reports, we can trust whatever comes out of their newspaper the bangcock post, etc... not once, do i ever find their reports unbiased on cambodia. i hope everyone who reads the thai newspaper think twice before believing them or taking them seriously. i wouldn't in a million years.
You cambodians... are poors and weaks... and your government is not well recognized in the world like our contry...
Thailand that is!
Without Thailand, you, cambodians, will be the slave of Vietnam...
Thai boy
Hahhah Ah Thai Boy 4:59 AM, tell you ugly mather annoying Siem self and your ugly Siem people to leave Khmer territory and return to your ancestral land in Nan Chao, is that understood. The Khmer people have always fought off Ah Siem and ah YOUNS invaders. In fact, without the Khmer tenacity, the Viets would have eaten a large chunk of thailand already, you mather f*cker. Why don't you go read up on the news or something, you stupid Siem BOY. Hahha. The Khmer always inflict the great loss on Ah YOUNs anytime, not like you, Ah Siem, who couldn't even defend your sorry azzed territory and had to call on the Khmer people to intervene. Hahhah. Go back to Nan Chao, ah Siem invaders of Khmer territory. Just go back to your ancestral shithole. The Khmer people and land are never meant to be ruled and controlled by stupid ugly looking like you, Ah Siem BOY. Haha.
We khmer,would rather die than co-managing the preah vihear with the thai and we khmer people will breake all the laws in the world just to support the thai muslim south to gain their independent and caused damages to the thai people IF CAMBODIA LOSE ANY INCH OF HER LAND AND OR IF CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT AGREE TO CO-MANAGE THE PREAH VIHEAR WITH THAI.
Well then, die Ah Karmen-Yuon! FYI, the temple is not anywhere near Vietnam, alright? So stay out of the Khmer's affair, Ah Jkout.
That Thai boy is correct. Thailand is worldwide recognized. THe world recognize Thais for the following things:
Slave of Japanese and Hitler so that they can grab some land from Khmer during WWII
Being craracy about themselves.
Well known for coup d'etat
Pron movie.
H haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..
The Khmer in Thailand just want everything that is stolen from them back.
That is right, you tell ah Siem/Thai Boy that, 7:27. In addition, tell ah Siem/Thai boy that Thailand is also known as the land of millions hookers and HIV breeding ground on earth.
What Khmer in Thailand??? The Khmer in Thailand are the repressed minority group, you stupid mather f*cker 9:36. The Khmer in Thailand can't even speak Khmer properly because the Khmer language in Thailand is banned and under the attack of ah Siem ruling groups. Check out Khmer Surin. Only NOW, that one Khmer Surin man tries to revive the Khmer language there. The Khmer language in other provinces detached from mother Cambodia is practically defunct because ah Siem LEGALLY ban it out. So know what you are talking about if you are a Khmer in Thailand. Ah Siems need to return to Nan Chao.
So what if the Khmer in Thailand want it back, The Khmer (CAMBODIAN) in cambodia owns it, you don't see the khmer in america, khmer in canada, khmer in austrilia wanting it to list it with their sponsor government. Also the khmer in Thailand will be for Thailand, time and time again this prove to be the case, we cambodian then to let them go, because history has told us that a good group of them have always traded over the motherland. Khmer KROM, KHMER USA, KHMER CANADA, KHMER AUSTRAILA, KHMER FRANCE WE ALL LOVE CAMBODIA.
You dont see a single Khmer descentant, now Thai national sayinng a word about this. WHY, because they will side with the Thaiside.
1962 The Hauge, a body of international recongiztion have awarded it to CAMBODIA. THAILAND can never get it because it never belong to them in th first place, they lost the appeal process which states 10 years, do the math. If your scholar was really smart they should know what 1962-2008 is 48 years not 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 but 48 freakin years. GET LOST!! and Please HUN SEN, Please build a huge wall like the Isaeli are building and the USA are building near th Mexican border. Please, WE WILL CLOSE IT FOREVER!!!! HUN SEN said this already and I am sure, he will do it, what do khmer have to lose??? you bet it, NOTHING because thanks to you Thailand, we got free adversitment you got FREE!!!!
Beside Cambodia alreadys has 16 countries supporting it, UNSECO will approve it, and we will have the last laugh because a weak CAMBODIA can win over a supposely strong Thailand. hahahhahahah SUCKA!!! hahahha SUCKA
The Khmer never fear ah YOUNs, but ah Siems always fear ah YOUNs. Read this report about ah YOUN taking over your land, ah Siem boy:
"Underclared war with Thailand
On 23 June 1980 the Vietnamese clashed with the Royal Thai Air Force and the Thai Army, but the Vietnamese shot down a Thai helicopter and also a O-1 FAC.
By 1982 the Vietnamese were sometimes operating near and even over the Thai border: especially the Vietnamese An-26 transports, equipped as ELINT/SIGINT-gatherers were used to track operations of the Thai Army.
In late March 1984, the Vietnamese troops entered Thai territory, and the Thai Army responded by shelling them and calling in A-37-strikes. In return, the Vietnamese deployed anti-aircraft artillery units. On 14 April a Thai O-1 was brought down, followed the next day by an A-37B.
In November 1984 the Vietnamese concentrated an offensive force of 75.000 troops for a large operation along the Thai border. By January 1985, the Vietnamese and Thais clashed again, but the Vietnamese used plenty of artillery and tanks against the Thais. Also, the Vietnamese had their air defenses ready against the Royal Thai Air Force.
By January 1985, the Vietnamese used artillery and tanks and clashed with the Thai Army. The Thai Army called in RTAF for support and soon A-37s were flying bombing missions. The Vietnamese were prepared for this, and on 8 January, they brought down an A-37B with a SA-7. When the Vietnamese offensive was concluded, in March 1985, it was declared for “another success” by Hanoi.
The Vietnamese started engaging Thais in a conventional war and decided to take and hold portions of Thai territory. By January 1988 they therefore occupied the Chong Bok mountain pass, south of Ubon. The RTAF F-5s were sent to bomb the place several times and in April supported a Thai Army counteroffensive. The areas was not brought back under the control of Bang Kong.
As a result, China warned Vietnam to halt its raids into Thailand. A Foreign Ministry statement said Peking would resolutely support Thailand's efforts to defend its sovereignty. US Secretary of State Edmund Muskie denounced Vietnam's actions, saying Hanoi threatened the peace, security and stability of the entire region. The US began airlifting arms to Thailand in an effort to enhance Thai military stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border. The airlift began soon following repeated incursions into Thailand by Vietnamese forces in Cambodia. The Soviet Union denounced the airlift, saying it would only aggravate tensions in Southeast Asia.
As the result of the Vietnamese continued politics of antagonizing Thailand, the Thais started supporting the Khmer armed groups to fight off the Vietnamese."
This is how Ah Siamese 10:44PM always missleading interpretation of the law to their offspring, only in their favour they don't recornize the truth, then the other dummy Siameses taking it to accounted the flare is up. That is the problem usually started, I wish that the ICJ punishing Ah Siamese of interfering other nation affair and contemped of ICJ decission.
God bless Khmer all!
The temple belongs to all Khmers and the Khmer in Thailand will have a voice in it, period. There is no French to divide Khmer here no more.
yeah right, 10:51pm; and that doesn't give you thief the right to steal from cambodia. icj rules!
overwhelming evidence of siem thieves stealing from our khmer people. for example, just look at the sign above they're holding, see all the aphabets, those are khmer alphabets they stole from khmer as well. what else is new? god bless cambodia.
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