The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodia's former king dismissed any Thai claim to an 11th century temple on the border as baseless, weighing in on a dispute that has soured relations between the neighbors and fueled anti-government protests in Thailand.
Preah Vihear temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site this week, reopening a long-standing disagreement between Phnom Penh and Bangkok over which country owns the land that surrounds it.
Former King Norodom Sihanouk said in a handwritten note posted on his Web site Friday that any Thai claims to the temple were "absolutely false."
He accused the Thais of causing "unmerited and anachronistic problems" for Cambodia "rather than concentrating on developing harmonious, friendly and fruitful relations" between the two countries.
Sihanouk said that some Thais are ignoring historic facts that prove that the "mountain and the temple of Preah Vihear are 100 percent Cambodia and belong to Cambodia 100 percent."
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor Wat in northwestern Cambodia.
"Thanks to Khmer kings and the Khmer Empire — the Angkorian Empire in particular — Thailand is actually very rich in temples and other Khmer monuments in the style of Angkor," the former king said.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned Thursday after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple classified as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO added the temple to its list of landmarks on Monday.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other Samak cronies.
Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, led a group of Thai, British and Dubai businessmen to Cambodia in late May to discuss several investment projects, including the construction of a new city.
But at a recent news conference, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong dismissed suggestions that the business trip was linked to the Preah Vihear issue.
As Cambodians celebrate the recognition for the temple, a small group of Thais continue to protest, demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple.
Preah Vihear temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site this week, reopening a long-standing disagreement between Phnom Penh and Bangkok over which country owns the land that surrounds it.
Former King Norodom Sihanouk said in a handwritten note posted on his Web site Friday that any Thai claims to the temple were "absolutely false."
He accused the Thais of causing "unmerited and anachronistic problems" for Cambodia "rather than concentrating on developing harmonious, friendly and fruitful relations" between the two countries.
Sihanouk said that some Thais are ignoring historic facts that prove that the "mountain and the temple of Preah Vihear are 100 percent Cambodia and belong to Cambodia 100 percent."
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor Wat in northwestern Cambodia.
"Thanks to Khmer kings and the Khmer Empire — the Angkorian Empire in particular — Thailand is actually very rich in temples and other Khmer monuments in the style of Angkor," the former king said.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned Thursday after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple classified as a World Heritage Site. UNESCO added the temple to its list of landmarks on Monday.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other Samak cronies.
Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, led a group of Thai, British and Dubai businessmen to Cambodia in late May to discuss several investment projects, including the construction of a new city.
But at a recent news conference, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong dismissed suggestions that the business trip was linked to the Preah Vihear issue.
As Cambodians celebrate the recognition for the temple, a small group of Thais continue to protest, demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple.
28 comments:
thai dogs
I don't understand why there is any need to respond to the Thai claim to our Preah Vihear temple. That claim has already been settled by the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 1962. It has been internationally recognised as ours since then.
Of course our Thai brothers have troubles accepting the court verdict. But this is their problem not ours, though, we need to commiserate with them on the failure of their claim to the temple and their attempt to block its listing as a World Heritage Site.
Furthermore, we need to exercise restraint in greeting this listing.
There is no need to add salt to injury. Aren't there enough enmity and hatred around already. We need to live together as neighbours. We are fellow ASEAN members. When we had troubles in our recent past, our Thai brothers gave us some help. At least some 300.000 of us took refuge in their country, and many of us fled to third countries through it as well.
There is absolutely no need to add salt to injury, especially when our Thai brothers are having some internal problems such as protests to topple the government and war in the South.
AFTER ALL WE AND THEY ARE FELLOW BUDDHISTS.
Below is an anecdote on the crisis facing the Thai government immediately after the announcement of the verdict in 1962.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
An anecdote in Cambodia's history
PREAH VIHEAR
How Thailand accepted the verdict of the International Court of Justice date 15 June 1962
according to Dr. Han Li-wu, Ambassador of the Republic of China to Thailand, 1956-64
'My friendly relations with Marshal Sarit [Thanarat], Thanom [Kittikachorn] and Praphart [Charusathien] grew so close, especially with Sarit, that I became, so to speak, his personal consultant in international relations. Let me tell you an anecdote. Thailand and Cambodia had a dispute over the sovereignty of a hill, called Kao Phra Vihan, on their border. They submitted the case to the Word Court for adjudication, and I was warned by the Chinese judge in the court that Thailand might lose. I warned the Thai government, but they did not show much interest. They were overconfident. After they had lost the case, the Cabinet was split over the question of accepting the verdict. The Cabinet was meeting practically every day, Marshal Sarit having, at the time, taken over the prime ministership after a successful operation.
'One morning, Sarit went to the airport to see off a state guest, and I, as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, was there as well. After the guest had left, I shook Sarit's hand and asked why he looked so sombre. He said, "Kao Prah Vihan, Kao Prah Vihan, every day! Headaches!" At once I said, "Marshal, why should you worry?" He looked at me with astonishment. "Accept the verdict.". I continued, "and close the road to Prah Viharn. How are the Cambodians to go up the hill from their side, which has no road and is the steep side of the hill? "At once he got the point and repeated the question, "How could they go up the hill?" with a broad smile. He summoned a Cabinet meeting, announced his decision to accept the verdict and closed the only road to the hill on the Thai side.'
Source: P. Van de Meerssche, A Life to Treasure: The Authorized Biography of Han Li-wu (London: The Sherwood Press, 1987), p. 106
All the leaders (africa, arabe, asia,America, Europe) of any country in world love their land and fight it fiercely against foreign agression. They even continue to remind and claim their land loss. They Know that defend their land mean defend the survival , the honour, the prestige, the dignity of their country,of their people.
Why HUN XEN, HOR NAM HOG, SOK ANH and...gave ignominiously our land to our neighbors?
Why are they cowards facing to powerful neighbors and serve their interests against their own people?
Why don't HUN XEN, HOR NAM HONG, SOK ANH wonder that in the future, their children, their descendants will live in the new Kampuchea krom, will be the minority in their own country and will be oppressed by YUON, SIAM. will they be happy?
Why are HUN XEN, HOR NAM HONG, SOK ANH brainless, moron?
Why can't they see beyond of their nose?
Samrek chheam Khmer
Dr Lao,
I agree with you.
1. This time we celebrate for the listing of Preah Vihear Temple.
2. Have we done anything for the loss of our vast lands to Vietnam and Thailand?
3. Have we done anything to help the millions poor and under-previleged?
All voices and actions should be done for number 2 and 3 as well.
Buddha blesses Cambodia.
Kong Moeung
Hello all,
I just received a sms from unknown number says that three Khmer people who lives near Preah Vihear temple died of eating fruits import from Thailand.
I do not know whether this sms is true or not. If it is true, It is very sad for us. I don't think it happended as in 1998 when police caught Vietnamese man who tried to put poison to water reserver in PP. Nothing to deal with.
Be care full together is a good way to alive.
To Lao Mong Hai,
You remind us the generosity of SIAM by taking us as refugees in their territory.
I do recall you how SIAM scorned us and expelled a lot of Khmer refugees to POL POT HELL. I know it because a big part of my family had managed to arrive in Aranya Tow and sent back to cambodia in one of the hundred trucks of Khmer refugees to SURIN province and then to the Preah Vihear border and after that SIAM military with the guns, constrained them to come down from the cliffs of Preah vihear surroundings minefields. Those who refused to come down were killed. A lot of them were killed by explosion of mines.
Without the ferm intervention of the UN, the 300000 present Khmers
oversea would be sent back and killed by the POL POT MEN with the complicity of SIAM.
Thank you for reminding brother thai goodness
TO OUR BELOVED COMPATRIOTS,
THE ONLY WAY TO RETALIATE THE CROOK SIAM IS TO:
- BOYCOTT ALL THEIR PRODUCTS.
- CLOSE THE PREAH VIHEAR BORDER.
- ASK THE UNEDUCATED HUN XEN NOT TO NEGOCIATE ANYMORE. BECAUSE WHENEVER HE NEGOCIATES WITH AH CHOR YUON AND SIAM, CAMBODIA LOSES OUR LAND AND THE DAMNED HUN XEN , HIS FAMILY AND CLANS BECOME MORE RICH AND KHMER PEOPLE BECOME MISERABLE AND HOMELESS.
Go www.samrainsyparty.org
to listen to SRP DAILY RADIO PROGRAM
Samrek chhearm khmer ( patriot song by Sin Sisamouth) broadcasted on 06/1/2008
"Kgnom slap teuv heuy te prolung neuv
chhearm kngom srek hao
das as kolbott
oy pgneak krok leung
mok chuoy pra yutt
day kann avutt
kamchat sat treuv
denh chor chanray
ah chor sour pouch
ah chor kamhoch
vineas plearm teuv
tuk dey khmer yeung
tar pouch kone chao
doch chnes khmer treu
the reaksar
samrek chhearm khmer
nerk sneha cheart
krok leung prong preat
dos cheart khemara
krok leung, kone khmer
srok sre chamkar
chuoy veay prahar
chor bamplanh cheart...
From samrek chhearm khmer neark sneha cheart,
BOYCOTT YUON PRODUCTS, SREY YUON AND YUON PROSTITUTES too
Please go to war with our used-to-be-Thai friend.
Let's spill some blood to show who's the boss.
We need war to settle everyting.
Now we need to make sure claim that part of 4.6km2. This lands always part of Khmer's land.
Cambodia's lands is way inside Thailand.
We want to name claim the provincesand city(s).
1-Bangkok (Krung Tep)
2-Ayuthiyea
3-Sokhothiyea
4-Chanthaburi
5-Kra Bey
6-Trat
7-Borirom
8-Chieng Mai
9-Chieng Rai
10-Cheing Tong
11-Nokor Reach
12-Surin
13-Kok Khan
14-Korat (Ox or Cow run)
15-Nokor Phnom
16-Srey Sah Ke (Si Sa Keet)
17-Odor Theani (Udon Thani)
18-Nokor SreyThomaroth (Nakhon Srithammarat
19-Srah Keo (Sakaeo)
20-Amnot Chroeun (Amnat Charoeun)
21-Chaiyaphum (Cheyphum)
etc.
There are some more.
Yes, Thais are our brothers and sisters but unfortunately due to this belief we lost our land to them since the 12th Century. Yes, we are fellow ASEAN and Buddha but unfortunately this belief is irrelevant to Thais. They continued to swallow Khmer land and down on Khmer people, not realizing the fact that we are from the same PARENTS.
So yours kind and gentle heart is kind of ignorant and ludicrous. Do not deceive into this belief.
Wow!
There are 15-20 millions Khmer in Thailand??
Wow,
If those Khmer wants to reunite with the Motherland will be awesome.
If those Khmer in Thailand declare independent or break away to form an autonomous zone that would be nice. They should take this chance now since the Thai is having political turmoil. And plus the Southern Thai always looking to form its own idependent too.
Khmer in Thailand needs to wake up.
Don't be Thai's slave too long.
Those Khmer in Thailand needs to wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We further need to think about our brothers and sisters (how many of them?) who cannot earn a living in their homeland and who have to become migrant workers in Thailand. How many families they have left behind would suffer if anything happen to them?
Let's spare a moment to ponder over this sayng of Buddha: "Hatred do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love; this is an eternal truth... Overcome anger by love; overcome evil by good; overcome the miser by giving; overcome the liar by truth.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Thailand must learn to respect Cambodia. They must learn to accept what isn't theirs. Cambodia must fight to show the world that Thailand is the aggressor and the trouble maker with Cambodia and in the past history. Bring in the scholars and historians, too, to prove our case. When it comes to Cambodia, their attitude is nothing less than a bully boy.
The temple does not belong to Ah Gay Infidel King, shut the fuck up.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
All of your comments are nationalistic and patriotic. No doubt. But, please cease for a moment to think and rethink critically what we have done and we are to do next to resolve the issues troubling Cambodia and Thailand for decades or probably centuries.
I would say the first and foremost priority should be given to setting the history between these two neighbors straight, clear and clean. I REAPEAT: STRAIGTH, CLEAR AND CEALN. By rectifying any and all of the misunderstandings, confusions, distortions or exaggerations concerning the history between the two countries—historically, territorially, culturally, traditionally, etc—Cambodia will be able to move on, focusing all her time, energy and resources on nothing but developing the country. In so doing, a special task force or a committee should be set up and mandated to address the mentioned issues between Cambodia and Thailand. The committee should be composed of historians and all other earth-, water-, air-, human-related scientists from both countries, including, if possible, assistance of this regard from international community.
The work of this committee will be of paramount significance as it can make the history a true, just and complete one for both countries to learn, accept and honor. I know the work of the committee is one that may not be easy, yet it isn’t one too big or hard to do. At any price, correct history must be written, and it’s a must. Cambodia won’t be able to go nowhere without first having these history-related issues settled between its neighbors.
I don’t know if such a special task force or committee already exists for this purpose. If so, I would want to know the status and progress of its work. And if such a committee did exist, I would greatly appreciate its keeping up its hard and good work for the best interests of the two nations, especially Cambodia.
Thank you,
From PL
Khmer Student
There is no point to overjoy with the world heritage listing. Preah Vihear with her history and beauty desert the world heritage award, but it is very regrettable that the whole area was not included in the listing.
His Majesty Sihanouk may have to remind Hun Sen and his government to hold tight on the ICJ ruled favor of Cambodia, he won and the land surround the Temple belong to Khmers. Stop meddling with Thailand, Khmers won that is the end. Put troops to protect this 11th century Temple was built before Thai Kingdom was created.
Sir Dr. Lao,
I can't believe it that a patriotic Khmer person like would have a goodwill stand for Ah Nan Chao Siems. They are no good people, I tell you. Of course, I am not generalizing, but my view is only directed at Ah angry Nan Chao Siems whose sole intention is to hurt us the Cambodians in many possible ways that they could. While it was true that Cambodian refugees sought refuge in Thailand, but those camps were set up and maintained by the United Nations. This means, ah irrational greedy Nan Chao Siems actually benefited financially big time. Ah Nan Chao Siems' sole intention is to see the death of the Cambodians. That is a fact. Why have you not included the proof of the Preah Vihear Massacre ah Nan Chao Siems inflicted on the first wave of Khmer refugees????? What about the irrational killings at Khao I Dang refugee camp??? Ah Nan Chao Siems killed the Khmer people there in the broad daylight in front of little children. I was there. I watched the whole thing behind the barbed wire fence. All those Khmer victims' bones need to be unearthed and give a proper burial. Ah Nan Chao Siems treated us Khmer people like dirt and nothing more. So why are you still looking at these heartleass barbaric people positively??? I just don't get it. Just tell the facts about these Siem, Dr. Lao. I for one want you to just state your FACTS of the situation. You need to stop sharing your OPINIONs because you don't do us Khmer people any justice. F*ck all ah Nan Chao Siems who want to mess with the Cambodian people. F*ck all of you, azzholes.
I don't understand why there is any need to respond to the Thai claim to our Preah Vihear temple. That claim has already been settled by the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 1962. It has been internationally recognised as ours since then.
Of course our Thai brothers have troubles accepting the court verdict. But this is their problem not ours, though, we need to commiserate with them on the failure of their claim to the temple and their attempt to block its listing as a World Heritage Site.
Furthermore, we need to exercise restraint in greeting this listing.
There is no need to add salt to injury. Aren't there enough enmity and hatred around already. We need to live together as neighbours. We are fellow ASEAN members. When we had troubles in our recent past, our Thai brothers gave us some help. At least some 300.000 of us took refuge in their country, and many of us fled to third countries through it as well.
There is absolutely no need to add salt to injury, especially when our Thai brothers are having some internal problems such as protests to topple the government and war in the South.
AFTER ALL WE AND THEY ARE FELLOW BUDDHISTS.
Below is an anecdote on the crisis facing the Thai government immediately after the announcement of the verdict in 1962.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Well, fact is the monkey in Cambodia used the French to steal the temple and land from the Khmer People in Issan Province first (in 1907), and then they retaliated thereafter. What is wrong with that, motherfucker (12:36)?
To 2:56 AM,
You, your family and relatives are sons and daughters of the bitches. F*** your shit-head.vdcywqc
Well, at least I ain't stupid like you to expect business as usual from the Khmer in Issan Province, after stealing temple and land from them, fool (3:27).
Yes, you're outright stupit. You're a bunch of fools fooled by your foolish families, clans and leaders. A sub-race of plunders, cheaters and liars--Siams/Thais.
We further need to think about our territorial waters, our seabed and our offshore oil. Our unrestrained celebrations could complicate our government's negotiations over the maritime borders with the Thai government. Any unsettled border disputes may hamper the full exploitation of resources within our teritorial waters. Furtehrmore, the oil companies involved may ask for a bigger share of the oild and gas extracted or lower payment of ralties, to compensate for the uncertainty they are facing.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Stop dreaming, Dr Lao, there will not be any business as usual until the temple goes back to the khmer people in Issan Province.
even in war there is rule of engagement for the refuggees and cilivlans, without massive UN intervention, and dollars Thailand would not have open up their border, it must benefit the thais also for anything to happen during that time period.
Security for the thais was vis a vis Cambodia, as the rebels groups were waging guerrila warfare against the clique of HUN SEN and their vietmanese attache.
during our history, did we not give the thai refuge from the mongols from their nan chao?
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