Former Thai foreign minister Nitya PibulsonggramBANGKOK, July 5 (TNA) - Former Thai foreign minister Nitya Pibulsonggram said Saturday that Thailand never supported Cambodia's unilateral application to register Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
His denial was made after current Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama on Friday told the Constitution Court it was the previous government of Gen. Surayud Chulanont, installed by the September 2006 coup-makers, which had pushed and supported attempts by the Cambodian government to register the temple as a World Heritage site, and not himself.
Mr. Noppadon said the previous government made the commitment during the 31st meeting of the World Heritage Committee meeting, held in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June last year.
But Mr. Nitya said the Thai government, while represented at last year's meeting, did not agree that Cambodia should apply for the listing of the temple alone without cooperation from Thailand, forcing the World Heritage Committee to postpone the decision as Cambodia did not receive sufficient votes to support it.
Thailand at last year's meeting reiterated that close cooperation between the two countries was needed and that both should also discuss plans to jointly manage the area, Mr. Nitya said, adding that Thailand's support depended upon conditions being met.
Mr. Nitya said Thai representatives attending a meeting in the Cambodian town of Siem Reap in January this year again opposed the Cambodian government's idea to apply to register the temple after it proposed an earlier map which included disputed area claimed by both countries.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will again consider the matter at the current annual meeting in Canada. The issue is expected to be taken up Sunday.
His denial was made after current Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama on Friday told the Constitution Court it was the previous government of Gen. Surayud Chulanont, installed by the September 2006 coup-makers, which had pushed and supported attempts by the Cambodian government to register the temple as a World Heritage site, and not himself.
Mr. Noppadon said the previous government made the commitment during the 31st meeting of the World Heritage Committee meeting, held in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June last year.
But Mr. Nitya said the Thai government, while represented at last year's meeting, did not agree that Cambodia should apply for the listing of the temple alone without cooperation from Thailand, forcing the World Heritage Committee to postpone the decision as Cambodia did not receive sufficient votes to support it.
Thailand at last year's meeting reiterated that close cooperation between the two countries was needed and that both should also discuss plans to jointly manage the area, Mr. Nitya said, adding that Thailand's support depended upon conditions being met.
Mr. Nitya said Thai representatives attending a meeting in the Cambodian town of Siem Reap in January this year again opposed the Cambodian government's idea to apply to register the temple after it proposed an earlier map which included disputed area claimed by both countries.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will again consider the matter at the current annual meeting in Canada. The issue is expected to be taken up Sunday.
15 comments:
The Thaicong saga must come to an end because they have no right according to international law to violate Cambodian sovereignty!
The Thaicong can go on jumping like a monkey on the issue of Khmer Phrea Vihear temple and it will never and ever going to change a damn thing!
Keeping jumping all you fucken Thaicong monekys!
The thai-fry-rice don't have any reason to support it. Cause they want what don't belong to them.
The thai is on the news around the world about this subject like a crying baby trying to get some nipples.
Why don't we give these crying babies khmer sausages instead. LOL
siem thugs (problematic child) say that's my toy, the parents (icj) say that's not yours!! spank, spank!!!! siem thugs is crying in tantrum.
oh the siem thugs excuses: france did it, khmer-isan temple, the previous gov't did it, contempt of icj verdict, unesco did it, their prime minister did it, their foreign minister did it, their court did it. see they're always right! not!!! cambodia and the rest of the world says keep dreaming your wishful, childish thinking and joke, siem thugs! god bless cambodia.
That is still better than Ah fake Khmer who claimed that the temple is their and can't even speak the language of the area.
It is extremely sad and pathetic to see the Thai government and a great number of Thai people including their intellectuals argue for the joint administration of the Khmer Preah Vihear temple. This temple belongs to the Khmer race since its creation and will be so for eternity! The ICJ had also given its just verdict in 1962.
I do not know what to say, but feel completely appalled and disgusted by this greedy, aggressive and dishonest attempts on the part of Thailand to co-own the temple of Preah Vihear. They signed the agreements then turned around and changed their mind unscrupulously. They are indeed unreliable friends and neighbour to be watched out for.
Read a hitory book and one will know without any doubt that Preah Vihear was built by the Khmer people! If you built the temple in your own land, you are the owner, aren't you? Read further and one will find that the unfortunate people of Cambodia have lost and continue to lose their land to the greedy and dishonest neighbouring countries. A large part of Thailland used to be part of the Khmer Empire. The Thais even borrowed the Khmer language when they created their own.
The Thais will never stop to oppose the unilateral listing of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site and UNESCO may bend under the Thai pressures and succumb to their demands. Cambodia may never be able to list the temple even though she is the rightful owner of this beautiful and sacred temple.
So what is the solution then amid this unjustice in the unjust world where justice is talked about, but only respected sometimes?
Well, first of all, the Khmers need to be strongly unified from now on and be wholeheartedly ready to support the government in its fight to defend Preah Vihear. Never let themselves become tools of the neighbouring countries in order to get or hang on to powers. This is easier said than done looking back at the Khmer history. Unity begins with the people at the grassroot level and unity becomes more solid as education becomes more widespread.
Second, Cambodia can choose to ignore the desire to list the temple for now and depends on herself to raise the money for its maintenance and development. The temple is beautiful and located on a good and scenic top site of the mountain so its attraction for tourists should be natural. Cambodia can close the entrance on the Thai side completely for now. Raise the money from its citizens inside and outside the country for the construction of a new and modern road to Preah Vihear from inside Cambodian territory. The organization to raise and handle the fund may be contracted to internationally reputable fund-raising organization for now so that transparency can be guaranteed and assured to all donors. This way people will have more trust and confidence in giving out the money.
Develop the Preah Vihear temple area slowly as we can afford it and link it as a touristic destination with Angkor.
As decendents of the great Khmers of Angkorian era, the present Khmers can do it all on their own without any need for help from UNESCO. All they need is the spirit of unity, tolerance, perseverance and strong belief in themselves among themselves to guarantee success in the restoration, maintenance and development of Preah Vihear.
Cheyo Preah Vihear! The beautiful Khmer temple for eternity!
A concerned Khmer
As a Cambodian citizen, I pray that His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej call on his subjects to respect the world court decision on Preah Vihear in 1962 as he once did then. This would quell nationalists' sentiments on both sides to protect Thai-Khmer relations.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
A message from Justin C. Sok: Please Support the SRP National General Election Fund Drive
July 01, 2008
Dear Friends,
The three terms office that Mr. Hun Sen has been in power have given us the bird’s eye view of the pattern of political activities in the Hun Sen Government. He and his government officials have been continuously silencing the dissident voices of our Cambodian people and their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, press, assembly, association, and religions are being violated and suppressed. The gap between the rich and poor is wider. The social issues such as land grabbing, illegal evictions, illegal logging, lack of health care and treatment, unemployment, inflation, and poverty are unresolved. On May 29, 2008, we learned that a man’s wife had to sell two of their 7 children to bail her husband out from [police] jail. While the Senate had shoveled off the corruption law proposals and buried them under their desks, the corruption activities are being fully conducted by government officials. Irrefutably, there has been no sign of any intervention from Samdach Akkak Moha Sena Bat Dey Dek Cho Hun Sen.
The political campaign for the fourth National General Election has begun and so did the illegal political maneuvering made by the Hun Sen government: vote buying, threats made against innocent citizens, political activists, and journalists. The elected officials from the opposition parties are being intimidated, extorted, ransomed, and blackmailed, and others have been threatened by lawsuits and jail. On June 28, 2008, while Deputy Secretary General, Mu Sochau and her SRP supporters were actively campaigning in Kampot province, the CPP Deputy Village Chief rode his motorcycle at full speed toward her in an attempt to run her over.
To our Khmer compatriots, when you consider the threat we face from the Hun Sen government who are hoping to not only use any means possible to strengthen their grip on power but also flooded our country with the illegal Vietnamese immigrants and has allowed the neighboring countries to encroach into our land and draw a new borders, this is clearly one of the most important elections of our lifetime. Each and every one of us, as a Khmer people, has a moral and ethical responsibility to contribute what is in the best interest for our Khmer people and Khmer nation.
The Sam Rainsy Party is appealing to our compatriots that are living abroad for help. The SRP is conducting its National General Election Fund Drive, and your participation is urgently needed more than ever. Over the next several days, many of your friends and neighbors in your area will be asking you to make contribution to SRP. Your donations will help support the SRP candidates to save the Cambodian people and the Khmer nation from the totalitarian CPP government in this rapidly approaching election. Mr. Sam Rainsy, if elected as Prime Minister, would vow to defend our Khmer people and Khmer nation, and would offer our Khmer people a vision of change, which means opportunity and hope. Therefore, your support today is urgently needed if our SRP candidates have any hope of winning. Remember, if Mr. Hun Sen gets reelected to the Prime Minister for another term, it would truly be a disaster for Cambodia. So, please use the website provided to send in your contribution as soon as possible. Thank you and May Lord Buddha Blesses us, Blesses Khmer nation. http://www.samrainsyparty.org
Sincerely,
Justin C. Sok, Volunteer
UNITED WE SURVIVE, DIVIDED WE DIE
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From samrek chheam khmer neak sneha cheart.
Hey Nitya we don't need your support, because 1962 is an International Court decision in favor of Cambodia, so scram balded ass!
Ignorance Kangaroo court verdict is unacceptable. If you want our temple, it will have to be done democratically by a referendum.
Did you know that right now Siam politician is supplicating UNESCO another Kangaroo organization.
We tell you like a million time to to tell the International Court about your problem.
Scram.
Thai historian Charnvit mentioned that Preah Vihear was given to France by Chulalongkorn in order to preserve the rest of Thailand from being a western colony!
I'm a real kol botr Khmer surin and I know that Charnvit is a respectable Thai historian currently a professor at Thammasat University in Bangkok.
I support 100% our brothers in Cambodia!
Phom pen chao Thai "Kamen jag jangwat Surin" phom kho rong hai chao Thai leuad Kamen tuk tuk kon samaki gub pinong khong rao tee prathet Kamphucha.
A historian who lie, don't you think that defy the meaning of being a historian???
How can a historian that write falsehood be respectable???
Come on man be serious.
question should be: why do cambodia need thailand's support with preah vihear unesco heritage? all cambodia has to do is bring up the icj verdict and there, it should shut them up. god bless cambodia.
ICJ verdict is flaw, and undemocratic. They ignore the people who owned the temple.
In democratic world people rule, not government.
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