July 5, 2008
By Supalak G Khundee
The Nation
Thailand will ask the World Heritage Committee to postpone consideration of Cambodia's application to list Preah Vihear Temple, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said yesterday.
The government will also propose applying for a World Heritage listing for the site jointly with Cambodia, he said.
"At the Quebec meeting, I will tell the World Heritage Committee that our previous support for [Cambodia's] application has already been withdrawn," Noppadon told reporters.
However, the minister said he was not confident that the latest Thai position would delay a decision by the committee, since the previous military-installed government under Surayud Chulanont had already committed to support an application by Cambodia.
He quoted the decision by the World Heritage Committee after a meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year that "Cambodia and Thailand agreed that Cambodia will propose the site for formal inscription on the World Heritage list at the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in 2008 [in Quebec] with the 'active support' of Thailand".
"I am afraid Cambodia could take the previous decision to back up its application, but I assure that I will do my best to protect our national interest," he said.
The foreign minister will lead a Thai delegation to the meeting of the World Heritage Committee next week. His support for Cambodia's application became a political burden for the government following accusations by senators, MPs and street protesters that he was undermining the country's sovereignty.
An Administrative Court interim injunction forced the government to withdraw the support and the Constitution Court is now considering whether the joint communiqu้ Noppadon signed with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An is unconstitutional.
Noppadon testified in the Constitution Court yesterday that the communiqué was not a binding agreement to cause any change in the country's sovereignty, so it was not required to pass a reading in Parliament under Article 190 of the Constitution.
The Foreign Ministry and other agencies that handled the issue and dealt with Cambodia have done their best to protect the national interest and no one could accuse them of betraying the nation, Noppadon said.
"It's fine if you don't like me, but don't accuse me of betrayal because I also love my country and protect my country," he said.
The government will also propose applying for a World Heritage listing for the site jointly with Cambodia, he said.
"At the Quebec meeting, I will tell the World Heritage Committee that our previous support for [Cambodia's] application has already been withdrawn," Noppadon told reporters.
However, the minister said he was not confident that the latest Thai position would delay a decision by the committee, since the previous military-installed government under Surayud Chulanont had already committed to support an application by Cambodia.
He quoted the decision by the World Heritage Committee after a meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year that "Cambodia and Thailand agreed that Cambodia will propose the site for formal inscription on the World Heritage list at the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in 2008 [in Quebec] with the 'active support' of Thailand".
"I am afraid Cambodia could take the previous decision to back up its application, but I assure that I will do my best to protect our national interest," he said.
The foreign minister will lead a Thai delegation to the meeting of the World Heritage Committee next week. His support for Cambodia's application became a political burden for the government following accusations by senators, MPs and street protesters that he was undermining the country's sovereignty.
An Administrative Court interim injunction forced the government to withdraw the support and the Constitution Court is now considering whether the joint communiqu้ Noppadon signed with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An is unconstitutional.
Noppadon testified in the Constitution Court yesterday that the communiqué was not a binding agreement to cause any change in the country's sovereignty, so it was not required to pass a reading in Parliament under Article 190 of the Constitution.
The Foreign Ministry and other agencies that handled the issue and dealt with Cambodia have done their best to protect the national interest and no one could accuse them of betraying the nation, Noppadon said.
"It's fine if you don't like me, but don't accuse me of betrayal because I also love my country and protect my country," he said.
10 comments:
We khmer peoples shoudn't care a bout this Idiot Noppadon and it SIAN goverment flip_flopping , we all know that Siam are a bullying nation, we just do what the world court approve for us, we don't need Siam crap approvale.
go to hell AH SIAM.
KHMER WESTERN.
Well double on you, Frenchy Fool, we'll just going to develop our Preah Vihear on our own and creating job for our Khmer people in our own Issan province.
I think Ah Siamese thieves did not feel that they are showing their true colour to the world. This ploy tactic, Siamese is adopting all along for centuries whith Cambodia. Because they feeling more superieur over Hun Sen GV'T, though (what is Siamese belonging is Siamese property), ( what is Khmer belonging will share with both Nations, and eminently should be fair to put in white ZONE or OVER lap area) for future discussion!. Shame on you Ah thieves Siamese! Down! Down! Deeper Down!
We,Khmer patriot, we have law for us. The International Court of Justice awarded the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962. Why did brainless Hun Xen negociate with the SIAM bandits and need them to endorse us?
Tuesday July 01, 2008
Bangkok Post PostBag
PAD fooling the people
I cannot believe the lunatics at the PAD have actually got the Thai people and the Puea Pandin party fooled over the Preah Vihear temple.
The line was drawn by the French in 1904, the International Court of Justice ruled on it in 1962, and "THE NEW LINE AGREED BY THE THAI AND CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY BRINGS MORE LAND INTO THAILAND THAN THE OLD MAP. IF THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT IS HAPPY TO CONCEDE SOME LAND TO THE THAIS WHILE RETAINING THE TEMPLE THAT IS, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN, ON THE CAMBODIAN SOIL, THEN IT IS A WIN FOR THE THAI GOVERNMENT.
This is just another example of the PAD stirring up issues trying to validate its existence. The fact that Puea Pandin party has weighed into it is disappointing; you would expect them to know better.
As for the Democrats, I hope they find the same demise the Australian Democrats recently have. Throwing stones at the government is good fun, but if you are never going to get a chance to run the country then it's a choice you can make without fear of having to prove you can do a better job.
The last Australian Democrats were voted out in November from the Senate and, as of July 1, the Democrats will be dead in Australia. Hopefully, the Thai Democrats will become history in the near future.
SHANNON CRANE
Gold Coast, Australia
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Nationalist bombast a little too late
I don't know what possesses the Thais lately who have started reclaiming the Cambodian Preah Vihear temple, 46 years after an international tribunal awarded it to Cambodia.
Anyone with more than a bird's brain will surely understand that this temple is clearly Cambodian (ever visited the site and compared it to Angkor?) and realise it is rather late to fire up their nationalistic bombast in order to get back the temple, as a spoilt brat would do.
By the way, the disputed 4.6 square kilometres around the site represents less then 0.01% of Thailand's territory.
As if common sense weren't enough to let the issue drop, just imagine the damage this whole issue could do to the relationship with Cambodia and the backlash from the international community, where Thailand already commands very little respect.
Wake up and don't politicise the issue to topple the government. The current administration hasn't done a lot lately, but their handling of the temple issue should probably be the least of the Thai people's worries.
JAMES GREEN
WHAT AN IDIOT AND TRAITOR COMMUNIST LEADER!
To our compatriots,
Wake-up!
Remove the idiot maffia HUN SEN and his clan! otherwise in 10 years, we will be kampuchea Krom, champa and laos.
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Bullshit, motherfucker (6:18), we must vote CPP to keep progress moving in the right direction. Everyone is happy, and that include the Champa and Laos. As for Ah Khmer-Yuon, once they paid up their debt for destroying the region, they will be happy too.
8:23AM
You're completely right, my dog is so happy about the CPP that he want to vote for them too.
Well, we welcome your dog too. We treasured all loves, and we'll don't take it for granted.
Obviously you don't use your brain much before writing a comment.
Like what?
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