Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
THE government says it is prepared to reopen the border gate at the contested Preah Vihear temple if the situation continues to normalise, official said Monday.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said that Cambodia will reopen the gate for foreign visitors travelling from Thailand to Cambodia if the conflict officially ends, but there would likely be minor security changes at some administrative points.
"We are already prepared to reopen the gate, but we demanded that the situation be good," Phay Siphan told the Post. "There will be changes at some points if we reopen."
The border gate at the temple was closed mid-July last year when tension between Cambodia and Thailand erupted after Unesco listed the 11th-century ruins as a World Heritage site.
According to a Thai newspaper published Monday, Seni Jitkasem, the governor of Si Sa Ket province that borders Preah Vihear province, said that they would open their national park on the Thai side on Tuesday to welcome visitors ahead of Valentine's Day, which falls on Saturday.
Loss of income
Phay Siphan said the idea of reopening the park was made after vendors in the area complained about the loss of income from a fall-off in tourism while the area was blocked and guarded by troops.
"This suggests that they want to turn a military base into a tourism resort," he said.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said that Cambodia will reopen the gate for foreign visitors travelling from Thailand to Cambodia if the conflict officially ends, but there would likely be minor security changes at some administrative points.
"We are already prepared to reopen the gate, but we demanded that the situation be good," Phay Siphan told the Post. "There will be changes at some points if we reopen."
The border gate at the temple was closed mid-July last year when tension between Cambodia and Thailand erupted after Unesco listed the 11th-century ruins as a World Heritage site.
According to a Thai newspaper published Monday, Seni Jitkasem, the governor of Si Sa Ket province that borders Preah Vihear province, said that they would open their national park on the Thai side on Tuesday to welcome visitors ahead of Valentine's Day, which falls on Saturday.
Loss of income
Phay Siphan said the idea of reopening the park was made after vendors in the area complained about the loss of income from a fall-off in tourism while the area was blocked and guarded by troops.
"This suggests that they want to turn a military base into a tourism resort," he said.
4 comments:
Truly,Preah Vihear shall remain closed for security. It should not be open for tourist just yet.
What Siam is up to now?
Cambodia need to open preah vihear temple to the people. So people can make some money from the tourist. The more people tour the place the more make it make and the two side military stand off will be End.
Open gate is just like to allow their Siam people move to top of temple and making thier demand by reject not to leaving the temple site.
If this really happend and if the Khmer use force against those Siam bandit. You will absoultely know what whould will happend?
Wish Khmer didn't fall in this trick.
It's a tourism site, right. But beyond THIS it's a real trap.
"Open at your risk"
DO NOT OPEN THE GATE FROM THAI SIDE WHILE THE DISPUTE STILL GOING ON... DO NOT REWARD THE THIEVED NATION.
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