Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, center, president of executive council of UNESCO, views Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple site.By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
13 March 2009
A high-level Unesco delegation traveled to the temple of Preah Vihear Friday morning, in what Cambodian officials called an effort to protect the structure, which has been at the center of a military standoff since July 2008.
The delegation, led by Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, executive counselor for Unesco, was the first visit of its kind since the temple was recognized as a World Heritage site by the UN cultural organization, sparking protests in Bangkok and at the temple that led to the massing of troops from Thailand and Cambodia on the border.
Yai “inspected the real situation at Preah Vihear temple, over the Heritage site, and the flag of World Heritage,” said Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan, who accompanied the delegation.
Yai also examined a damaged statue “affected by the attack of the Thai military” and visited the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda near the temple, Phay Siphan said
Yai did not comment on the military situation nor visit any military bases, he added, but a group of experts would come later in March to evaluate the development plans for the temple.
Thousands of soldiers remain at the border, despite several rounds of talks between the two countries and skirmishes that have left at least four soldiers dead.
Yai returned to Siem Reap Friday afternoon and is scheduled to remain in Cambodia through March 18. On the remainder of his visit, he will tour the temples of Angkor Wat and Koh Ke temple in Preah Vihear province.
The delegation, led by Olabiyi Babalola Joseph Yai, executive counselor for Unesco, was the first visit of its kind since the temple was recognized as a World Heritage site by the UN cultural organization, sparking protests in Bangkok and at the temple that led to the massing of troops from Thailand and Cambodia on the border.
Yai “inspected the real situation at Preah Vihear temple, over the Heritage site, and the flag of World Heritage,” said Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan, who accompanied the delegation.
Yai also examined a damaged statue “affected by the attack of the Thai military” and visited the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda near the temple, Phay Siphan said
Yai did not comment on the military situation nor visit any military bases, he added, but a group of experts would come later in March to evaluate the development plans for the temple.
Thousands of soldiers remain at the border, despite several rounds of talks between the two countries and skirmishes that have left at least four soldiers dead.
Yai returned to Siem Reap Friday afternoon and is scheduled to remain in Cambodia through March 18. On the remainder of his visit, he will tour the temples of Angkor Wat and Koh Ke temple in Preah Vihear province.
12 comments:
Hay Thai, what do you think about this situation?
Unesco delegation come in to Cambodia and go to inspect Preah Vihear from Angkor Wat city (Siem Reap).
If you do not know, now you see and should withdraw your troup out.
Preah Vihear is belong to KHMER only.
kkk
Thai dreaming of calling Praviharn has disapear.
The corrupted UNESCO will returned the temple back to Khmer Leu (The rightful owner).
Damn that Indian ? Thai they called those Indian are Idiot ,and the people called them selves khmer leu are monkeys ,and those monkeys like banana come down and get my banana split so much juice and do not dream about Temple that sensitive site and belong to khmer in Cambodia ONLY get it?
10:26AM
You are not Khmer Leu.
1:14PM
You are very rude.
Do I have to be Khmer Leu, 4:58?
Khmer Leu, Khmer Kandal and Khmer Korm is the ONLY one nationality from the Khmere empire.
Leu and Krom do not to live under the administration of Siam and Youn...
We have bride to be born as Khmer, but unfortunately to have those leaders after the Angkor Era.
Not really, despite they used to live under the Khmer Empire, it doesn't mean all Khmer is one. Firstly, they don't speak the same dialect. Secondly, they don't eat the same food. Thirdly, they don't listen to the same music, and the list go on and on and on....
Yeah, as for women, Khmer Leu preferred Thai. Khmer Krom preferred Yuon. And Khmer Kandal preferred Lao.
9:19PM & 9:23PM intended to destroy Khmer.
Why do you said that, 11:58?
damn, the UNESCO guy is a stinking black african? He must be from Darfur or some shithole!
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