Opinion by Khmerization
28th August 2008
The recent agreement between Defence Minister Tea Banh and Thai PM, Samak, to develop tourist areas at Preah Vihear is a cause for concern. It is a cause for concern because, after numerous negotiations, the issue of Thai occupation of areas around Preah Vihear has still not been resolved and the control of the areas has not been transferred to Cambodia.
The Thai tactics now is to divert the attention from the real issue of territorial integrity and territorial disputes into the issue of mutual tourism promotion. Cambodia must not fall into this trap. Cambodia must stick to the issue of total Thai troop withdrawal from the “occupied zone” first before agreeing to any tourism co-operation in the areas.
While the ownership of the so-called “disputed zone” has not been established, the proposed “tourist site” would see Cambodia’s territorial integrity eroded as the proposed site, which will be the so-called “disputed zone”, is a Cambodian territory.
Cambodia should only agree to develop a tourist site or a garden of peace, as some have suggested, only when the “occupied territories” at Preah Vihear have been transferred to Cambodian control. To agree to build a garden of peace or tourist site there before the transfer of the ownership of the areas to Cambodia would be tantamount to conceding Cambodia’s territorial integrity to Thailand.
Cambodia must not be so naïve about the Thai proposal, but must be wary about Thailand’s real intention, and that is it wants a piece of the Preah Vihear cake. Mr. Samak’s statement of “territorial problems which cannot be resolved by now will be left for negotiations later” must be viewed with suspicion. That kind of statement has its connotation. It means that the territorial issues at the so-called “disputed zone” at Preah Vihear and the Ta Moan temples “will be left for negotiations later”. What Thailand wants to concentrate now is to “promote tourism at Preah Vihear temple”. Cambodia must be wary about this Thai proposal. Cambodia must be mindful that Preah Vihear temple is a Cambodian temple and that promoting tourism should be the exclusive rights of Cambodia and that all tourist revenue should be the sole benefits of Cambodia. It must not be shared with Thailand.
When Mr. Samak was talking about “promoting tourism at Preah Vihear temple”, he was talking about sharing the Preah Vihear tourist dollars between Cambodia and Thailand. This is an insult to injury and a double robbery because while the issue of “Thai occupation” of the Preah Vihear areas had not been resolved, Thailand now turned its attention to acquiring benefits from the Preah Vihear temple. As I said earlier, any tourism co-operation with Thailand should only happen when the “occupied zone” has been transferred to Cambodian control. To agree to develop the areas before the ownership of the “occupied areas” was established would be tantamount to conceding Cambodia’s territorial integrity to Thailand.
On a footnote to this editorial, I wish to congratulate PM Hun Sen’s initiative of giving lands to the families of landless soldiers who are stationed on the borders to protect our borders. The PM’s initiative should be supported wholeheartedly. But, like Mr. Cheam Channy said, I am concerned that the military leaders might take advantage of this policy by distributing the lands or good lands to themselves and their families. The Cambodian government, if it wants this policy to be implemented properly and equitably, must devise a mechanism to ensure that the lands should only be given to the landless soldiers and that rich military leaders are not eligible to receive any land concessions at all.
28th August 2008
“When Mr. Samak was talking about “promoting tourism at Preah Vihear temple”, he was talking about sharing the Preah Vihear tourist dollars between Cambodia and Thailand. This is an insult to injury and a double robbery because while the issue of “Thai occupation” of the Preah Vihear areas had not been resolved, Thailand now turned its attention to acquiring benefits from the Preah Vihear temple.”
The recent agreement between Defence Minister Tea Banh and Thai PM, Samak, to develop tourist areas at Preah Vihear is a cause for concern. It is a cause for concern because, after numerous negotiations, the issue of Thai occupation of areas around Preah Vihear has still not been resolved and the control of the areas has not been transferred to Cambodia.
The Thai tactics now is to divert the attention from the real issue of territorial integrity and territorial disputes into the issue of mutual tourism promotion. Cambodia must not fall into this trap. Cambodia must stick to the issue of total Thai troop withdrawal from the “occupied zone” first before agreeing to any tourism co-operation in the areas.
While the ownership of the so-called “disputed zone” has not been established, the proposed “tourist site” would see Cambodia’s territorial integrity eroded as the proposed site, which will be the so-called “disputed zone”, is a Cambodian territory.
Cambodia should only agree to develop a tourist site or a garden of peace, as some have suggested, only when the “occupied territories” at Preah Vihear have been transferred to Cambodian control. To agree to build a garden of peace or tourist site there before the transfer of the ownership of the areas to Cambodia would be tantamount to conceding Cambodia’s territorial integrity to Thailand.
Cambodia must not be so naïve about the Thai proposal, but must be wary about Thailand’s real intention, and that is it wants a piece of the Preah Vihear cake. Mr. Samak’s statement of “territorial problems which cannot be resolved by now will be left for negotiations later” must be viewed with suspicion. That kind of statement has its connotation. It means that the territorial issues at the so-called “disputed zone” at Preah Vihear and the Ta Moan temples “will be left for negotiations later”. What Thailand wants to concentrate now is to “promote tourism at Preah Vihear temple”. Cambodia must be wary about this Thai proposal. Cambodia must be mindful that Preah Vihear temple is a Cambodian temple and that promoting tourism should be the exclusive rights of Cambodia and that all tourist revenue should be the sole benefits of Cambodia. It must not be shared with Thailand.
When Mr. Samak was talking about “promoting tourism at Preah Vihear temple”, he was talking about sharing the Preah Vihear tourist dollars between Cambodia and Thailand. This is an insult to injury and a double robbery because while the issue of “Thai occupation” of the Preah Vihear areas had not been resolved, Thailand now turned its attention to acquiring benefits from the Preah Vihear temple. As I said earlier, any tourism co-operation with Thailand should only happen when the “occupied zone” has been transferred to Cambodian control. To agree to develop the areas before the ownership of the “occupied areas” was established would be tantamount to conceding Cambodia’s territorial integrity to Thailand.
On a footnote to this editorial, I wish to congratulate PM Hun Sen’s initiative of giving lands to the families of landless soldiers who are stationed on the borders to protect our borders. The PM’s initiative should be supported wholeheartedly. But, like Mr. Cheam Channy said, I am concerned that the military leaders might take advantage of this policy by distributing the lands or good lands to themselves and their families. The Cambodian government, if it wants this policy to be implemented properly and equitably, must devise a mechanism to ensure that the lands should only be given to the landless soldiers and that rich military leaders are not eligible to receive any land concessions at all.
14 comments:
Tea Banh is very stupid to agree to such a proposal from Thailand. Giving a piece of the nation's land to foreigners is called treason.
Our khmer leaders are stupid. But I know why, they get money from the Thai, bribes. THere should be no negotiation on Preah Vihear, it's our. Unless Hun Sen secretly sold the surrounding land to Thai that we dont know about.
Tea Banh fluents in Thai, so he must doing a favor to Thai so his bank accounts won't freeze in Thailand.
What a treason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my, when do we reshuffle or change all these low qualification ministers.
HUN SEN needs to be replaced.
Or HUN SEN should need to put the most qualification person to high position for our country to deal with the Thai at least.
HUN SEN government needs to replace as soon as possible.
I can smell People Power creeping into Cambodia bit by bit now.
Soon or later these crook goverment will be dissolved.
HUN SEN is going down. His popularity is going down.
Khmer Phnom Penh,
To servive what cpp would do?
Listen to their boss. Who the boss is? yourn. If cpp bring these problem to UN then UN must start to do the job from A to Z to do so
yourn have to give the land back to Khmer also not only siam. Then hun sen will stick with the present plan to gain and keep his power. This is a simple way to understand. No other Khmer could bring or convey this problem to UN because you are not a person who incharge the country only hun sen for now. Do you think hun sen dare to against his boss?
To all Khmer people, it is up to you to take care the country no one can. And never ever trust Ah Khvack and his crooks because these animals care only their pockets.
My beloved Khmers!
There ain't no free lunch? Youn invaded or (you might say) liberated Srok Khmer, how much land, water, and money that CPP has continously paying her. On the other hand, Siam helped Hun Sen to win the election of 08, and how much land and money that CPP must be repayed him?
Do not worry there will be no more khmer as claim,Cambodia for sale ,Thai to0k elephants to pull Prah Vihear and destroy it while Cambodia register this site to UNESCO, khmer leader relaxing and smile ,Thai want to get share of the revenue from Preah Vihear khmer leader approved .
You all khmer in side are plug and fucked!
khmer people, please do not allow this greedy thailand to benefit from khmer temple and land. first, there must be a properly demarcate borderline so cambodia won't lose anymore land to thailand like during the dark ages. secondly, thailand must educate its ignorant people who still think preah vihear is theirs to respect the treaty of 1907 and the icj verdict already, not to mention the international law! must take care of these issue first, before any kind of bilateral benefit or whatever! look, it looks like the UN security council is the only solution to this thai violation of cambodia's sovereignty.
khmer are stupid people
What Thai want is the Preah Vihear "disputed zone", Ta Moan temple plus revenue from Preah Vihear temple. Why Tea Banh is so stupid not to know Thai intention. They want everything. We don't need to promote tourism with Thailand. When the military from both sides are withdrawn, roads fixed, local and international tourists will flock in to Preah Vihear. Thai want to jointly manage the areas so they can get a share of the Preah Vihear tourist dollars.
Ah Ronteah Banh is ignorance Defence Mister. He is not a cleaver person, Ah Siamese is tricking hime all along including Mr. Hun Sen. They wanted to exchange Khmer territory with theirown wealth.
These leaders are treason, must be punished.
Hey, Van above, 3:29 AM, Do you have some brain in your head? Or is your brain like Cruel Annimal's, You should have known that Khmer are not so stupid as you think. Khmer like peace, Khmers hate wars, real Buddhism followers, most of Khmer people are happy to live with what they have, not the same as Siem Thieves and Yourn leeches, If You are Thai, You should have known that you nation is off high Educated, civilised, but still ignorant, aggressive, and greedy, looking down other inferior nations, treating the poorer nation as inferior.
Khmerization, I appreciate your thoughtful posts on Preah Vihear. I agree that it is important for Cambodia not to respond with territorial concessions to unreasonable demands and specifically to prevent Thai settlement, business, land use and the like on what is Cambodian land because this would benefit legal and political claims to territory in the future. Part of the international court’s rationale for deciding the conflict in Cambodia’s favor was that the Thai government has not on the ground, legally or politically challenged the map produced by the Siam French commission and thus demonstrated its consent to it. In other places along the border such as Ta Moan, Thai rationale for claiming them is that they have looked after and repaired those temples, suggesting that this gives them some sort of customary right to take over Cambodian territory. Thus it would be unwise for Cambodia to allow similar activities in what Thai consider disputed area around Preah Vihear.
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