Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Bangkok Post Reporters
Cambodia closed the Preah Vihear ruins on Monday amid worries Thai protests over Phnom Penh's plan to propose the ancient temple for World Heritage listing will spill across the border - after it spilled into parliament and the courts.
The issue was a major point raised during yesterday's general debate by senators who attacked Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government for supporting the Cambodian move.
Outside the parliament, opponents plan to ask the Administrative Court today to nullify the cabinet's endorsement of Cambodia's map of Preah Vihear and a joint declaration to be presented to Unesco.
Senator Kamnoon Sitthisamarn will lead protestors to petition the court.
M.R. Priyanandana Rangsit, deputy chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, will also hand a protest letter to the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Bangkok. The letter signed by 300 elite and socially recognised people calls on the UN agency not to accept the temple as a World Heritage site.
The government on June 17 approved the new map drawn by Cambodia, which defines the temple's boundary to be proposed to the World Heritage Committee during its meeting in Quebec starting on June 2, placing it inside Cambodia.
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama also signed a joint statement with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, supporting the application, soon after Bangkok agreed to the map.
The closure of the temple came after Cambodian officials held talks to assess the situation.
About 200 Thai protesters gathered near the temple yesterday. Many of them had completed a 110-km walk protesting against Phnom Penh's move. The group began the "Dharma Walk" in Muang Si Sa Ket and arrived in Kantharalak district, which adjoins the temple, on Sunday.
Their demonstration near Preah Vihear added to the worries of Cambodian officials, who in recent weeks have seen growing protests in Thailand against the listing of the temple.
Cambodian officials said the temple, known as Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, will reopen to tourists when the protest rally ends.
Protest leader Saman Sri-ngam warned the protest would continue "until we get our Khao Phra Viharn back and expel Cambodian villagers who have encroached on the Thai border."
They sang the Thai national anthem and a patriotic song Rao Su (We Will Fight) during their rally. Some yelled at Cambodian villagers, demanding they leave the Thai border.
A group of monks, led by Phra Maha Boontueng, also joined the rally. They offered prayers in support of the protesters.
A Thai military source said the army had been informed of the closure of Preah Vihear, but had not contacted Phnom Penh on the issue.
The source said some officers agreed with the protest over the encroachment by Cambodians who built shops and other structures.
"The villagers well know that the area belongs to Thailand, but past governments have done nothing about it," the source said.
In the Senate debate, Phetchaburi Senator Sumol Sutawiriyawat roundly criticised the government over its handling of the Preah Vihear issue, including the failure to jointly propose the listing of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site with Cambodia.
In his defence, Mr Samak insisted Thailand will not lose any territory to Cambodia by approving the Cambodian map and the joint statement.
He stressed the temple is inside Cambodia, as a result of the International Court of Justice's ruling in 1962, and criticised those trying to stir up people to try and reclaim it.
Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda has reacted to the Preah Vihear issue in a short reply to a letter sent to him on Thursday calling on the government and civic groups to help protect Thai territory. It was handed to him by chief adviser to the Supreme Command Gen Pathompong Kesornsuk.
The letter said approval of the new map of Preah Vihear would lead to legal complications when Thailand and Cambodia hold talks on the overlapping areas along their border in the future.
In his reply on June 21 Gen Prem replied the move "is a way to return a favour to the nation".
The issue was a major point raised during yesterday's general debate by senators who attacked Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government for supporting the Cambodian move.
Outside the parliament, opponents plan to ask the Administrative Court today to nullify the cabinet's endorsement of Cambodia's map of Preah Vihear and a joint declaration to be presented to Unesco.
Senator Kamnoon Sitthisamarn will lead protestors to petition the court.
M.R. Priyanandana Rangsit, deputy chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, will also hand a protest letter to the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Bangkok. The letter signed by 300 elite and socially recognised people calls on the UN agency not to accept the temple as a World Heritage site.
The government on June 17 approved the new map drawn by Cambodia, which defines the temple's boundary to be proposed to the World Heritage Committee during its meeting in Quebec starting on June 2, placing it inside Cambodia.
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama also signed a joint statement with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, supporting the application, soon after Bangkok agreed to the map.
The closure of the temple came after Cambodian officials held talks to assess the situation.
About 200 Thai protesters gathered near the temple yesterday. Many of them had completed a 110-km walk protesting against Phnom Penh's move. The group began the "Dharma Walk" in Muang Si Sa Ket and arrived in Kantharalak district, which adjoins the temple, on Sunday.
Their demonstration near Preah Vihear added to the worries of Cambodian officials, who in recent weeks have seen growing protests in Thailand against the listing of the temple.
Cambodian officials said the temple, known as Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, will reopen to tourists when the protest rally ends.
Protest leader Saman Sri-ngam warned the protest would continue "until we get our Khao Phra Viharn back and expel Cambodian villagers who have encroached on the Thai border."
They sang the Thai national anthem and a patriotic song Rao Su (We Will Fight) during their rally. Some yelled at Cambodian villagers, demanding they leave the Thai border.
A group of monks, led by Phra Maha Boontueng, also joined the rally. They offered prayers in support of the protesters.
A Thai military source said the army had been informed of the closure of Preah Vihear, but had not contacted Phnom Penh on the issue.
The source said some officers agreed with the protest over the encroachment by Cambodians who built shops and other structures.
"The villagers well know that the area belongs to Thailand, but past governments have done nothing about it," the source said.
In the Senate debate, Phetchaburi Senator Sumol Sutawiriyawat roundly criticised the government over its handling of the Preah Vihear issue, including the failure to jointly propose the listing of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site with Cambodia.
In his defence, Mr Samak insisted Thailand will not lose any territory to Cambodia by approving the Cambodian map and the joint statement.
He stressed the temple is inside Cambodia, as a result of the International Court of Justice's ruling in 1962, and criticised those trying to stir up people to try and reclaim it.
Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda has reacted to the Preah Vihear issue in a short reply to a letter sent to him on Thursday calling on the government and civic groups to help protect Thai territory. It was handed to him by chief adviser to the Supreme Command Gen Pathompong Kesornsuk.
The letter said approval of the new map of Preah Vihear would lead to legal complications when Thailand and Cambodia hold talks on the overlapping areas along their border in the future.
In his reply on June 21 Gen Prem replied the move "is a way to return a favour to the nation".
12 comments:
កំណាព្យប្រដៅសៀម
នែ៎!សៀមឈាមថោក គំនិតស្មោកគ្រោក លោភលន់ឥតខ្មាស់ ព្រះវិហារនេះណា ពិតខ្មែរជាម្ចាស់ សកលជ្រាបច្បាស់ គ្រប់ទីគ្រប់ឋាន។
នែ៎!សៀមចង្រៃ កុំដេកស្រមៃ អោយហួសក្តីស្មាន ព្រះវិហាររបស់ខ្មែរ ឥតប្រកែកបាន តុលាការបាន កាត់ក្ដីរួចហើយ។
នែ៎!សៀមទុរយស ទៅផ្ទះវិញចុះ កុំនៅកន្តើយ បើចង់សុខខ្លួន ចេញកុំងាកក្រោយ យើងប្រាប់អោយហើយ នេះការព្រមាន៕
និពន្ធដោយ
Khmer Students Association in Germany
Get away from Cambodia, you blood sucker, Siem!!!
God damn Cambodians. You are not Khmer but Cambodian. King Suryavarman II was born in Siam former Khmer Empire so he was also our King. Preah Viheah is also ours.
That's enough siam, the world know what the heck are you doing and we're khmer won't let you do those thing as before. find your hell and leave our temple.
Dear stupid simaes. U might be blind u ever read anything. We all khmer formed our country since 1st Century when all of u still kept ur ass at Yunan,. China. Most of parts of ur country right now were former Khmer Empire. We won Preah Vihea Temple since 1962. Maybe u guys stupid nor noth that's y dare to said that....if I was u, I better kept ma face in side ma ass..hahahaha.
I meant Siames>
Only the fucken Thaicong would believe in their stupid Thaicong theory and logic!
The worst part of it all is that the Thaicong even believe in their own lie!
I found out that it is the nature of the Thaicong to claim everything in their name and if it ain't Thaicong and it ain't good! I wish I can say the same thing about Thaicong-pussy! ahahhahahahha
Yes, kick Ah Kamen-Yuon outta there before they turned Phra Viharn into a rat nest.
To 6:23PM
You mother live in a rat nest already and what the fuck are you talking about?
The fucken Thaicong have such a short term memory! These fucken Thaicong forget that when the Vietcong invaded their country in the 1980 and it is the Khmer Rouge who stop the Vietcong at their borders!
the question is: their gov't supported and encouraged them to do this? it is so illegal, to say the least! god bless cambodia.
11:21,
THE WORLD COURT RULED PREAH VIHEAR BELONGS TO CAMBODIA IN 1962. WHAT IS THE FUCKING PROBLEMS? HOW DARE YOU (THAI) DISOBEYED THE WORLD COURT DECISIONS! WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
SHUT IT DOWN PERMANENTLY. THIS WAY, THE THAI CAN'T USE IT. THUS, IT ALSO HELP PRESERVE THE TEMPLE FROM DETERIORATIONS. MAKE IT EXTERIOR AND AIRIAL VIEWS ONLY! ANYONE DISAGREE?
This is for all Ai ba Siems, Nang ba Siems out there!
Stop dreaming like a bitch, you fuckers! I know that you knew about the real history of yours but still, you fuckers, want our land more and more without shame. But hey, sooner or later all of you and your monkey King and his piggy/fatty/stupid/ugly daughter bitch "Sarindorn?" will pay for how ambitious you fuckers are!
Has has has has has has ha...
Post a Comment