By Subhatra Bhumiprabhas
The Nation
The listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site has caused extraordinary things to happen to neighbours Cambodia and Thailand.
Strong feelings of nationalism are stirring in Thailand with discourse on "land and sovereignty", while Cambodia is seizing the opportunity provided by the listing of the 900-year-old temple, says Associate Professor Pipop Udorn of Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy.
For Cambodia - where about 35 per cent of the people live below the poverty line on less than Bt6 a day - Preah Vihear is a potential "economic miracle" that could help it achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals, Pipop said at a symposium on "Politics and Nationalism - The Preah Vihear Case".
"It [inscription on the World Heritage List] means a new airport, cable car, hotels, casino, employment for more than 300,000 local people, and US$2 billion [Bt67 billion] from tourism income," said Pipop, adding that Cambodia's Tourism Action Plan targeted 3.12 million tourists by 2010.
Preah Vihear's World Heritage listing reflects the success of the Cambodian government's Economic Quadrangle policy under Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration. Conversely, it reflects failure by the Thai government to inform the public about the benefits Thailand could share from the listing, Pipop said.
Thai governments since 2005 had supported the World Heritage listing by Cambodia and had already provided financial assistance to build Road No 67 linking the attractive tourist site of Siem Reap to the Thai border next to Preah Vihear, he said.
Associate Professor Surachart Bamrungsuk agreed Thai society could do a much better job of turning the conflict into a real benefit.
Promoting the Preah Vihear site as a "Joint Cultural Development Area" or "Joint Tourism Area" would be an option to enable both countries to enjoy economic benefits as well as cultural development, Surachart said. Thailand's northeastern Isaan region would become a gateway to Indochina through cultural links.
"Today if we do not accept anything [the International Court of Justice's ruling and the decision of the World heritage Committee], we must answer to the world community on how we are going to coexist with others," said Surachart, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University and an expert on national security.
The International Court of Justice, in a nine-vote-to-three ruling, judged Preah Vihear to be "situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia" some 46 years ago.
A letter by the then interior minister of July 6, 1962 to the prime minister stated: "Thailand is obligated to withdraw police, guards or other security from the Preah Vihear site by adhering to the principle that Cambodia will keep the remains of the Temple of Preah Vihear and the land beneath it." But anti-government groups, including senators, the opposition and some academics claim the temple sits on Thai soil.
11 comments:
Fair and rational minds on both sides know this is a win win situation for both sides in terms of economic returns.
Fanatics have place in this. Even the thai admit cambodia has international law behind her.
Let the thai government excercise the respect of the law and sovereign integrity of khmer land.
Otherwisto come.r years e this conflict will damage
relations
Why Thai people still confuse and misunderstanding on the Court 1962 rule?
Thai is acknowledged or not? Or they are blind..
Please khmer unified, sent the letter to UN's representative in Phnom Penh and all the embassies,close the border and kick out the Thai ambassador, and then RGC must complain to ASEAN, NATO and UN to help this problem as soon as possible!!!!!
We should deal with International Law and diplomatic But if no choice, we must fight to protect our land. If possible should delay the election date, hope all the politic party won't mind with our nation when our nation faces the biggest problem like this.
Hope the god bless Cambodia.
From Ramy Chungnam University, South Korea
Thank you, Subhatra Bhumiprabhas. However, the opportunist Thailand will never share the pie with Cambodia regarding its own property of Preah Vihear Temple. Thank you once again.
I believe in a friendship that is genuine between Thailand and Cambodia. Just because a bunch of lunatic ultra-nationalists Thai's are being sore losers shouldn't be a cause for concern. I know a lot of Thai's aren't stupid and uneducated, just these lame nationalists who dont know jack shit about history.
NO Thaicong is going to stop Cambodian economic progress and with or without the Thaicong and Cambodia will move forward full steam ahead because Cambodia does have a goal to reach by 2010!
Cambodia should call the UN they will make the Siam government obey International Law and the verdict of the ICJ.
The Siam will stop being defiant because if not their economy will suffer big time with the International Community turning their back on Siamland.
I am a Khmer living in Issan region and a Thai citizen. I do agree with those Khmers living Preah Vihear Province. I think Preah Vihear Temple belongs to people living in Preah Vihear province. No body else who does not live in Preah Vihear province has a rights on deciding the ownership of the temple. Keep in mind the Preah Vihear Province do exist. It is in northern region of Cambodia. But, Issan do not exist. Only the region does. But, mostly Loas people live there. We khmers are small numbers compare to others in the region. I hope this is clear to my brother who claims to be Khmer Issan in Issan province. You don't represent all the Khmers living here. So, stop using the name Issan.
There is no such thing as Preah Vihear Province before the French stole the temple from Khmer in Issan Province, Ah Pleu (1:24).
thank you khmer issan. the thai troll can stop using the khmer issan name for his retarded arguments.
2:20 AM...My dear brother...All you know is to swear at people. What kind of family back ground you have. I am Khmer living in Issan region (north-eastern thailand). I went to university and I am sure that practically NOT EVERYONE in Thailand is Khmer. You stupid. Only about 20% is. Thais have the majority. But, 90% of these 20% does not even know how the speak or write Khmer. You and me are two of them. We are more thai than Khmers. Thailand has over 62 or more million. People living is Issan region is about, you are right, 20 million. But, most of them are Loas. Check here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isan
Not all these 20 million live near the temple. They live everywhere in the region. Go and check our country Thailand's map and see you can find Issan Province. It does not exist. Don't be stupid. Remember there was not Issan region until the French came. They and the Siams created this region for frontier between them. If you can do the math, you should be a bit more realistic. You have some Khmers blood in your and so do people living in Preah Vihear, Cambodia, or anywhere including those living near the temple. So, you should not have called fellow human beings monkeys. These 1000 people living near the temple that you said have more right to claim the temple before anyone else including you and me because we don't live there. Think before you speak. By the way, you and I should learn Khmer, our native language. Then, come again and chat in Khmer. Don't you think it is the right way to do it if we have to have share of the temple?
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