By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama will lead a Thai team to a meeting in Quebec next week which will consider Cambodia's proposal to place the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage list after the withdrawal of Thai support.
The minister, however, declined to say if Thailand would continue its objection to Cambodia's unilateral application.
"As the Cabinet withdrew its support, we need to consult with other concerned agencies on what new position we can take," Noppadon told reporters.
Representatives from the National Security Council, the military's Royal Thai Survey Department, the military's Border Affairs Department and the head of Thailand's World Heritage committee will accompany the minister to the Quebec meeting.
Thailand initially opposed the application after Phnom Penh annexed 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area claimed by both sides in the proposal. The dispute was settled as Cambodia agreed to draw a new boundary for the temple taking only some parts as ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962.
However, the government was forced to withdraw support for Phnom Penh as protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy asked the Administrative Court to terminate the Cabinet resolution due to fear of loss of sovereignty. The court's temporary injunction made invalid the joint communiqu้ signed by Noppadon and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An supporting the application.
The Council of State suggested options for the Cabinet to appeal the injunction, otherwise the government and the Foreign Ministry needed to follow the court's decision.
After the injunction, the ministry sent letters to inform Phnom Penh, Unesco, Thai ambassadors to Unesco and to Canada on the withdrawal of support. Cambodian Ambassador Ung Sean accepted the letter yesterday from the minister. Phnom Penh said earlier it would go ahead unilaterally, without Thai support.
Cambodia's application will be on the agenda for consideration in Quebec on July 6-7.
Noppadon yesterday said he had been under no pressure to step down. "I will take responsibility for what I have done. I'm ready to lose in the fight to maintain justice and do the right thing," he said.
The minister, however, declined to say if Thailand would continue its objection to Cambodia's unilateral application.
"As the Cabinet withdrew its support, we need to consult with other concerned agencies on what new position we can take," Noppadon told reporters.
Representatives from the National Security Council, the military's Royal Thai Survey Department, the military's Border Affairs Department and the head of Thailand's World Heritage committee will accompany the minister to the Quebec meeting.
Thailand initially opposed the application after Phnom Penh annexed 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area claimed by both sides in the proposal. The dispute was settled as Cambodia agreed to draw a new boundary for the temple taking only some parts as ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962.
However, the government was forced to withdraw support for Phnom Penh as protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy asked the Administrative Court to terminate the Cabinet resolution due to fear of loss of sovereignty. The court's temporary injunction made invalid the joint communiqu้ signed by Noppadon and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An supporting the application.
The Council of State suggested options for the Cabinet to appeal the injunction, otherwise the government and the Foreign Ministry needed to follow the court's decision.
After the injunction, the ministry sent letters to inform Phnom Penh, Unesco, Thai ambassadors to Unesco and to Canada on the withdrawal of support. Cambodian Ambassador Ung Sean accepted the letter yesterday from the minister. Phnom Penh said earlier it would go ahead unilaterally, without Thai support.
Cambodia's application will be on the agenda for consideration in Quebec on July 6-7.
Noppadon yesterday said he had been under no pressure to step down. "I will take responsibility for what I have done. I'm ready to lose in the fight to maintain justice and do the right thing," he said.
12 comments:
so, they led their siem thugs to protest cambodia in quebec too? they really want to embarrass their country when unesco make their decision by the 10th of july. talk about harrassment of cambodia. cambodia will use that against them when we have to take them to icj court for contempt of court. god bless cambodia.
Siamese have withdrawal of supporting our registration, we should have to list all the sites of 1962 Of ICJ decission to the UNESCO. Hun Sen GV'T must show his dignity of ownership to the world on July 02- 10/2008 in Quebec Canada.
Down to Ah Siamese!
UNESCO will not accept hot temple. That will make them an accomplice to criminal.
Mr PATTAMA ! Do your best to get the temple back to your people the khmer sorin.
2:51AM...You are right, if UNESCO will not accept hot temple, then they are on the side of the accomplice to the criminal thais.
If the temple is in the disputed border areas then, they can reject Cambodian application. But, since the temple is not in the disputed areas of concern (even the they admitted that), UNESCO has not right the block the application. It should go ahead and put the temple on the list. I trust the judgment of all the member countries involved.
By the way, I feel so bad that you are a Khmer living in Thailand, but support and follow the Thais for everything they do to put the Khmers down. You guys are minorities in Thailand. So, your fight is the Thais fight. If you could get independent from the thais, then I would agree that we all Khmers should join and list the temple. For now, I don't think your view represents the khmer views, even in thailand. Yours is the thais view because the thai government block it and so do you.
Stop fantasizing, 5:59, if it is that bad here, many of the Karmen from Cambodia won't risk their life sneaking in here. On the other hand, no one from here would want to go to Cambodia even if you paid us.
6:15 AM
So what the fuck your embassy is doing in Phnom Penh.
We burned it once, but it still there.
Don't worry real soon Cambodia will pay you a visit to your country.
You better look good on that day.
Yea Pattamama make a fool of yourself and the Siam nation.
Tell the world that International Court is not good enough for the Siam.
6:15 IS A LOST CHILD WHO GOT MOLESTED BY THE SIAM SOLDIER DURING THE KR ERA. HE'S BEEN LIVING IN SIAM FOR TOO LONG, THAT HE LEAD HIMSELF TO BELIEVED THAT HE IS NOW A SIAM CITIZENS. JUST LIKE THE CASE OF PREAH VIHEAR; WE ALLOWED THE SIAM TO USE IT FOR SOO LONG THAT THEY THINK THAT IT'S THEIR. WE CALL HIM AH KHMER K'BOT JIAT!
BOY, HAVE I GOT A PLAN FOR YOU!
Not true, Ah Karmen-Youn, there is now way for the Siam to defeat Khmer without the help from us (Khmer in Issan.)
And the reason we (Khmer in Issan) did it is because we are sick and tired of your nonsense ruling. Thus we want our share of the pie, and we want out. Get it? So stop trying to steal our share of the pie. You are not the only Khmer in the Empire, okay?
12:06AM
Well, if you don't have country called Khmer land, then you can't own the khmer temple. We are the the real khmers with a country. So, we should own the temple. No question asked.
1:44, name is no excuse to steal our temple. We have to name our country difference from your for protection from your greedy king who killed people for their gold and wealth or who drafted people to kill each other over their stupid disputes ...
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