Written by Thet Sambath
The Phnom Penh Post
Thailand is threatening to challenge the listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, but officials say they will not be drawn into a fight
DESPITE threats of a challenge from Thailand, officials say they will avoid discussing the tense border situation during a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that began in Seville, Spain, on Monday.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan told the Post that Deputy Prime Minister Sok An would seek to avoid conflict, instead telling attendees about the Kingdom's plans for conserving and developing the 11th-century temple and the surrounding areas.
But he added that Cambodia "reserves the right to respond to questions from country members and defend itself against provocations from the Thai delegation on issues relating to Preah Vihear".
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Wednesday that Bangkok would use the committee's 33rd session to challenge the validity of its July 2008 decision to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.
Thai threats
Phay Siphan also quoted Sok An as saying that Abhisit had threatened UNESCO staff over the issue of Preah Vihear.
"Minister Sok An told me that [Abhisit] ... said the [World Heritage] status is the source of the border dispute," he said.
"UNESCO officials are wondering about the Thai prime minister's attitude. He has no right to threaten them because they work for the UN."
Bun Uy, a secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said on Monday that the decision to award the status was made by UNESCO, and that as Cambodia had done nothing wrong, there was no reason to de-list the temple.
"Why does Thailand demand that UNESCO withdraw it?" Bun Uy asked. "What the Thai prime minister wants is just to show his party and supporters that he has tried to regain the temple."
Cambodia was awarded Preah Vihear temple by the World Court in 1962, but possession of the border area around the temple was never settled. At least seven soldiers on both sides have died in clashes in the area in the past year.
The government has sent reinforcements to the contested area on the northern border with Thailand. Sem Sophally, a resident of Sa Em village near the temple, said Monday that he had seen numerous RCAF trucks carrying soldiers heading to Preah Vihear the previous day.
"I was told they were sent there to reinforce the front line in the event of armed clashes with Thai soldiers," he said.
The army has constructed a number of military bases in villages near the temple, a source of national pride, over the past year. Srey Doek, the commander of RCAF Division 3, said Monday that the current situation is normal, but that his soldiers are on alert.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NETH PHEAKTRA
DESPITE threats of a challenge from Thailand, officials say they will avoid discussing the tense border situation during a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that began in Seville, Spain, on Monday.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan told the Post that Deputy Prime Minister Sok An would seek to avoid conflict, instead telling attendees about the Kingdom's plans for conserving and developing the 11th-century temple and the surrounding areas.
But he added that Cambodia "reserves the right to respond to questions from country members and defend itself against provocations from the Thai delegation on issues relating to Preah Vihear".
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Wednesday that Bangkok would use the committee's 33rd session to challenge the validity of its July 2008 decision to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.
UNESCO OFFICIALS ARE WONDERING AT THE THAI PRIME MINISTER'S ATTITUDE.The committee's decision to inscribe the temple scuttled Thai hopes for a joint Thai-Cambodian submission to UNESCO and triggered a troop buildup and an escalation of tensions at the border.
Thai threats
Phay Siphan also quoted Sok An as saying that Abhisit had threatened UNESCO staff over the issue of Preah Vihear.
"Minister Sok An told me that [Abhisit] ... said the [World Heritage] status is the source of the border dispute," he said.
"UNESCO officials are wondering about the Thai prime minister's attitude. He has no right to threaten them because they work for the UN."
Bun Uy, a secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said on Monday that the decision to award the status was made by UNESCO, and that as Cambodia had done nothing wrong, there was no reason to de-list the temple.
"Why does Thailand demand that UNESCO withdraw it?" Bun Uy asked. "What the Thai prime minister wants is just to show his party and supporters that he has tried to regain the temple."
Cambodia was awarded Preah Vihear temple by the World Court in 1962, but possession of the border area around the temple was never settled. At least seven soldiers on both sides have died in clashes in the area in the past year.
The government has sent reinforcements to the contested area on the northern border with Thailand. Sem Sophally, a resident of Sa Em village near the temple, said Monday that he had seen numerous RCAF trucks carrying soldiers heading to Preah Vihear the previous day.
"I was told they were sent there to reinforce the front line in the event of armed clashes with Thai soldiers," he said.
The army has constructed a number of military bases in villages near the temple, a source of national pride, over the past year. Srey Doek, the commander of RCAF Division 3, said Monday that the current situation is normal, but that his soldiers are on alert.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NETH PHEAKTRA
17 comments:
Discontinue direct entry from Thailand into Prah Vihar Temple is one of the best solution. All kind of visitors, especilly Thai official, should use other gates if they want to visit the Temple, PERIOD.
Roar!!!
Yes 11:42PM I totally agreed with you, Khmer govt. should after sovled this issue peacefully find a good reason to close that exit/entry from Thai side forever for future conflict with Thai nations. And if we can we should build the wall all along the border with Thailand, but leave Vietnam side, we might get our KK land back from Viet. Now UNOP are on their way to work with Vietnam for our KK brothers.
Just get the black dogs Siemese out off our territory first.
Please all Khmer abroad, do not fly with Thai Airway anymore, if you are real Khmer.
in other countries, such a joint heritage preservation might work dandy. But in the case of Cambodia and Thailand, it is very bitter matter of pride.
How can the world ask Cambodia to share a heritage with a country which Cambodians felt have looted their national and cultural treasures for centuries and to add to insults; have continuously looked down on Khmer people and refuse to accept Khmer influence in Thai culture and instead persist to spread rumors of a dead Khom race or civilization whom the Thais killed off a long time ago. A group of people, which incidently uses the same written scripts the Khmer uses today and the same forms of beliefs, magics, tatoos, numbers etc that modern Khmer use ?
To the Khmer people, it is not much that the Thais won't admit the Khmer influence that angers them, it is the blatant denial of equality of Khmer culture through Thailand's behaviors and arrogance and gloat of the miserable current Khmer society that Khmer despises the most.
For these reason, the Khmer people can't see why they must share, share a heritage with people who not only have no respect for their culture and history but continuously insults them through fabrications of histories, and steadfastly encroached on their land.
For Thailand to claim Preah Vihear is a joint heritage, Thailand must first admit Thailand absorbs culture and heritage from Cambodia, something which Thailand would denies and would be completely ashamed to be associated with Cambodia in any way. So why is Thailand asking for a joint heritage then ? One can only see the reason as money in light of this Thai-Khmer relationship history.
If I were the Cambodian government, I would agree to this almost absurd demand by Thailand-for sake of peace- only if:
1. Thailand comes out publicly to apologize it's arrogance and admits the influence of and contribution of Khmer to Thai society.
That includes the current Khmer-Thai citizens.
2. Treat Khmer with respect and equality. This should show in political negotiations, business transactions, migration policies and Thailand should cease to mistreat and misuses Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand who are looked down upon.
3. Thailand setups a clear transparent program explaining how it's shared profit from joint heritage would go to benefit the Khmer people whose ancestors built this. How will the Khmer people of Thailand benefit this ? Because obviously the Khmer people of Thailand has also a share in the ancestral heritage.
That means Thailand should create programs to educate it's citizens about the history of Khmer civilization in the area, and help to preserve Khmer culture in the existing Khmer communities in Thailand. This include helping funding Khmer language schools with the profit and preservation of Khmer culture in Thailand.
Mr. Chey Mongkol's program is a fine example of where Thailand can do to help Thai of Khmer descent safeguard their heritage.
Cambodians can't take the fact that Thailand would market off Khmer culture especially in those areas of Surin, and claim it as Thailand. This for Cambodian creates suspicious that the Thai only wants money and market more Khmer stuff off as Thai, including iconic cultural heritage. This is why the Preah Vihear issue will not be resolved easily.
There are not even any evidences that Thailand can reclaim or want a joint or share with this. The UNESCO is already took years to study that this temple belong to Cambodian without any objection.
Thailand should accept the reality. Cambodian had accept so many years with the reality. We lost so many lands to YOUN and Thai and we took that. Now Thai have shown its stubborn and ignorant to the world of greediness.
Khmer will win regardless of what the Thai is doing.
Khmer Empire,
So shameful on them. Abhishit will be oust out of office by its people again soon. Mark my words, Thai will have instability and chaos in near future.
Khmer!ខែ្មរ!!
It is clearly showing that the decision was made by UNESCO is appropriate. Now we must ask the UNESCO to enlist more Khmer's temples in Thailand as well. We still have hundred of temples in Thailand and Laos.
Khmer Empire,
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
UNESCO had rejected Thai requested to joint listing Preah Vihear Temple (DAP). There were a major defeated for Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva (Standford graduated in politic, economy, from parents doctors), but a novice politician. Thailand were bullying UNESCO, and the results of that were humiliated by international communities.
Bravo to our compatriots.
New Phally
Well done Cambodia!!
Down the Thai!!
Abhishit is failed like HUN SEN said.
Wow! This is very shameful!!!
Why all the press and media have been giving about this nonsense quote:
“Possession of the border area around the temple was never settled.”
It should have been quoted as, “Thailand never respect the world court decision back in 1962”
at least we all are won one of great moving .
thai like to play thieft better play direct.
khmer prepared to welcom thai with T54 and T90 to help thai to agresive to cambodia.
thai do not look down low class.life low class never scare to die our motherland.
Thailand is a nation with GREED!
They are violating the sovereignty of Cambodia. They need to be punish with SKUD missiles from North Korea.
1962 Court rules!!
i have the feeling the thai demand will fail at the international stage again. try all they can; but unesco and the UN will only consider cambodia as the sole owner of preah vihear temple and surrounding areas that came with the icj verdict already. we all knew that and very much aware of the illegal thailand dream and illegitimate demand or claim. cambodia has the top saying in all of this in the case of preah vihear, my dear. it would be ignorant for the world community at large to ignore cambodia's point of view and suggestion in all of this. so, don't worry cambodia and khmer people, we will prevail big time; and this time around will be final and permanent so the thai cannot make trouble again in the future to come! god bless cambodia.
If Thailand still ignores UNESCO and the UN in case Thailand insists on demanding, border skirmishing will break loss and bloodshed will spill between the two nations. Thai greedy leaders will be responsible for everything!
Well, i hope it's truth that UNESCO rejects Ah Thai-thieft request! those news people can't be trusted sometime...
Thank you all of united Khmer I have read you comentary with emotion. Ah Siam greedy embicious still hunt us for ever, now they feel shamful worlwide. 1:17am I appreciated you statment as kon khmer ungerstanding Ah Siamese intention to distroy our existing. They are not happy most of all is Mr.King p.m ad..koba. He still want to use our brother Khmer loeu to Kill us in Kapuchea.
Down Ah Siam!!!
I agree with 1:59AM! since, UNESCO and the entire world already knew, all of those Temples are belonged to khmer empier, Thai-thieft never built them! only robbing and stealing from Khmer....just take a look at the map? there's so much lands that they had taken away~! now they still greeds for more...
Post a Comment