Bangkok
18 August 2008
The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia are meeting this week to end a border dispute over an ancient temple. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, the talks follow an agreement reached last week to pull back troops on both sides of the border.
The talks this week are the next step in reducing cross-border tensions sparked by a dispute over territory surrounding an 11th century Khmer temple that lies just inside Cambodia.
The meeting between the Thai Foreign Minister, Tej Bunnag and Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, follows last week's agreement by both countries to withdraw more than one thousand troops from around the border.
Nationalist sentiment on both sides of the border rose after Cambodia unilaterally sought United Nations World Heritage status for the Preah Vihar temple. Thailand had previously sought a joint application that would also include nearby land under Thai control.
Several months ago, however, the Thai government agreed to allow Cambodia to apply on its own. The deal set off a political fight in Bangkok that resulted in the resignation of Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. In turn, Cambodians bristled at what they saw as Thai backsliding on an agreement and claims on their territory.
As tensions rose, both countries sent troops to the area, leading to fears of armed conflict.
Carl Thayer, an expert on Southeast Asia politics at the Australian National University, says the dispute is tied to domestic politics.
"This current situation that arose led to a foreign minister to resign - a sweeping victory for [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen and his party in Cambodia - so it had domestic dimensions where kicking a nationalist ball is part of the political game," said Thayer.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice granted sovereignty over the temple to Cambodia, although a key access point to the area is in Thailand.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said before leaving for the meeting in Thailand that he expects the talks to resolve the problem.
Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and the Thai Army chief visited the border region Monday, to show that the dispute has been set aside.
The talks this week are the next step in reducing cross-border tensions sparked by a dispute over territory surrounding an 11th century Khmer temple that lies just inside Cambodia.
The meeting between the Thai Foreign Minister, Tej Bunnag and Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, follows last week's agreement by both countries to withdraw more than one thousand troops from around the border.
Nationalist sentiment on both sides of the border rose after Cambodia unilaterally sought United Nations World Heritage status for the Preah Vihar temple. Thailand had previously sought a joint application that would also include nearby land under Thai control.
Several months ago, however, the Thai government agreed to allow Cambodia to apply on its own. The deal set off a political fight in Bangkok that resulted in the resignation of Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. In turn, Cambodians bristled at what they saw as Thai backsliding on an agreement and claims on their territory.
As tensions rose, both countries sent troops to the area, leading to fears of armed conflict.
Carl Thayer, an expert on Southeast Asia politics at the Australian National University, says the dispute is tied to domestic politics.
"This current situation that arose led to a foreign minister to resign - a sweeping victory for [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen and his party in Cambodia - so it had domestic dimensions where kicking a nationalist ball is part of the political game," said Thayer.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice granted sovereignty over the temple to Cambodia, although a key access point to the area is in Thailand.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said before leaving for the meeting in Thailand that he expects the talks to resolve the problem.
Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and the Thai Army chief visited the border region Monday, to show that the dispute has been set aside.
5 comments:
no need just give me more island ok........no one know anyway...all they care is $$$$$$$$$ and power....give more land is ok...uuuuuuuuuu can have pheah vihea....and iiiiii take something...
no need just give me more island ok........no one know anyway...all they care is $$$$$$$$$ and power....give more land is ok...uuuuuuuuuu can have pheah vihea....and iiiiii take something...
Hor Namhong is not khmer. His real name is HO NAM HONG! HIS LAST NAME IS THE SAME AS HO CHI MINH. 90% OF THE CCP MEMBERS IS VIETNAMESE!!CAMBODIAN ARE SO.. FUCKING STUPID THEY DON'T EVEN KNOWN WHO'S RUNNING THEIR GOVERMENT.HUN SEN IS CAMBODIAN EITHER HIS REAL NAME IS (HUYNH SAN) SO IS VAR KIMHONG HIS FUCKING REAL NAME IS (HOA NGUYEN HONG)WAKE UP THE REAL KHMER PEOPLE!!!LOOK AT THOSE FUCKING NAME ALL OF THESE FUCKING NAME IS THE REAL CAMBODIA.
You are also not khmer. You just want khmer to fight khmer. you better go back to where you were from.
Khmer Guide
Siam has restored Sdok Kok Thom Temple(Sdok= (means in Khmer), dense, thick; Kok=Kak, type of Reed used to produce mate etc..); Thom= big , large, great etc..) since 38 yrs(means since 1970s), in that year( 1970), Cambodia started civil war and internal termoil so that we left it un touched due to security reason(civil war)...Not abandoned...
by law if understand "The restoration/taking care of someone's property is not meant the restorer is the owner..."
Achar Knoy(=Phd. Bandit/excellency from Prahok Chamroeurn Avichea University PPenh)
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