July 30, 2010
The Nation
Suwit proposes Unesco committee delay decision on Preah Vihear for another year; Cambodian team won't budge, says 'we have already given Thailand too much'
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti made several attempts yesterday to block Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple from the World Heritage Committee's consideration while the delegation from Phnom Penh stood firm.
Cambodia insisted on pushing forward with the plan, saying it had already given Thailand too much.
At press time last night, the World Heritage Committee had not yet considered the plan and Suwit hoped the committee would delay considering it for another year.
Thailand and Cambodia were once again at loggerheads over theHindu Khmer temple of Preah Vihear when Cambodia submitted its management plan to run the world heritage-designated temple.
Unesco's World Heritage Committee is holding its annual meeting in Brasilia.
Preah Vihear has been inscribed on the world heritage list since July 2008 and Cambodia was obligated to submit for consideration its management plan for the temple.
Thailand expressed its concern over the plan, fearing Cambodia might make the disputed areas adjacent to the temple a buffer zone.
The Cambodian plan does not include areas to the north and the west of the temple, which are the subject of a border dispute with Thailand, according to a source close to the meeting.
At a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on the sidelines of the World Heritage Committee meeting, Suwit raised his concern that the area to the east of the temple, which is the core zone for the listed property, is also under Thai sovereignty.
The Thai Cabinet, after the ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962, had relinquished the eastern area to Preah Vihear. However, Thai officials at the meeting in Brazil yesterday insisted that the area remained under Thai sovereignty.
Cambodia rejected the Thai claim and the meeting between Suwit and Sok An failed to find any common ground.
Meanwhile, Suwit prepared measures to respond to the Unesco and World Heritage Committee's decision. He was lobbying to have consideration of the plan delayed for at least one year. If the lobbying efforts failed, Suwit planned to issue a statement of protest, objecting to the temple management plan.
The protest statement for the records would state that Thailand would never recognise Cambodia's right over the Preah Vihear temple, the source said.
As a final option, Thailand might withdraw its membership from the World Heritage Committee, he said.
Cambodia said Thailand's move would harm its international reputation, as the objection to the Preah Vihear plan was an attempt by the Thai government and its extremist alliance to spoil the good relations between the two countries.
"Cambodia doesn't care at all about the objection," Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Press and Quick Reaction Unit at the Council of Ministers, was quoted as saying by The Phnom Penh Post.
The Cambodian government's spokesman, Phay Siphan, said the so-called overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the Preah Vihear as claimed by Thailand was based on a unilaterally produced map but the Cambodian claim was based on the 1908 Siam-Franco map.
"Thailand's falsified establishment of the map to claim the area is an international crime," he said.
"Now Thailand's policy is, if they get nothing, they want to co-manage the eco-management."
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the management plan of Preah Vihear should not be approved until Thailand and Cambodia had settled the border dispute over the areas surrounding the temple.
The Joint Boundary Committee of the two countries is now in the process of negotiating the boundary demarcation but its work has made little progress.
Abhisit said that ideally all problems could be settled if Cambodia allowed Thailand to propose the Preah Vihear jointly as a World Heritage Site.
Thousands of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) members last night gathered in front of the Unesco regional office in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Road, waiting for the World Heritage Committee's decision on the Cambodian plan.
The PAD is a strong pressure group that is forcing the government to oppose the Cambodian plan over fear of losing territory.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti made several attempts yesterday to block Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple from the World Heritage Committee's consideration while the delegation from Phnom Penh stood firm.
Cambodia insisted on pushing forward with the plan, saying it had already given Thailand too much.
At press time last night, the World Heritage Committee had not yet considered the plan and Suwit hoped the committee would delay considering it for another year.
Thailand and Cambodia were once again at loggerheads over the
Unesco's World Heritage Committee is holding its annual meeting in Brasilia.
Preah Vihear has been inscribed on the world heritage list since July 2008 and Cambodia was obligated to submit for consideration its management plan for the temple.
Thailand expressed its concern over the plan, fearing Cambodia might make the disputed areas adjacent to the temple a buffer zone.
The Cambodian plan does not include areas to the north and the west of the temple, which are the subject of a border dispute with Thailand, according to a source close to the meeting.
At a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on the sidelines of the World Heritage Committee meeting, Suwit raised his concern that the area to the east of the temple, which is the core zone for the listed property, is also under Thai sovereignty.
The Thai Cabinet, after the ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962, had relinquished the eastern area to Preah Vihear. However, Thai officials at the meeting in Brazil yesterday insisted that the area remained under Thai sovereignty.
Cambodia rejected the Thai claim and the meeting between Suwit and Sok An failed to find any common ground.
Meanwhile, Suwit prepared measures to respond to the Unesco and World Heritage Committee's decision. He was lobbying to have consideration of the plan delayed for at least one year. If the lobbying efforts failed, Suwit planned to issue a statement of protest, objecting to the temple management plan.
The protest statement for the records would state that Thailand would never recognise Cambodia's right over the Preah Vihear temple, the source said.
As a final option, Thailand might withdraw its membership from the World Heritage Committee, he said.
Cambodia said Thailand's move would harm its international reputation, as the objection to the Preah Vihear plan was an attempt by the Thai government and its extremist alliance to spoil the good relations between the two countries.
"Cambodia doesn't care at all about the objection," Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Press and Quick Reaction Unit at the Council of Ministers, was quoted as saying by The Phnom Penh Post.
The Cambodian government's spokesman, Phay Siphan, said the so-called overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the Preah Vihear as claimed by Thailand was based on a unilaterally produced map but the Cambodian claim was based on the 1908 Siam-Franco map.
"Thailand's falsified establishment of the map to claim the area is an international crime," he said.
"Now Thailand's policy is, if they get nothing, they want to co-manage the eco-management."
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the management plan of Preah Vihear should not be approved until Thailand and Cambodia had settled the border dispute over the areas surrounding the temple.
The Joint Boundary Committee of the two countries is now in the process of negotiating the boundary demarcation but its work has made little progress.
Abhisit said that ideally all problems could be settled if Cambodia allowed Thailand to propose the Preah Vihear jointly as a World Heritage Site.
Thousands of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) members last night gathered in front of the Unesco regional office in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Road, waiting for the World Heritage Committee's decision on the Cambodian plan.
The PAD is a strong pressure group that is forcing the government to oppose the Cambodian plan over fear of losing territory.
11 comments:
Thailand is in desperation to again asking the Unesco to delay Cambodia's plan to development Preah Vihear. Thailand's plan is only to buy time and delay the issue, with not much ground, until Cambodia gives in to their demand. Neither Cambodia nor the Unesco must give in to what is the right thing to do and must not reward the bad guy for something that is not their to begin with...
Thailand is copying the bad behavior of Hanoi. If Hanoi could get Hun Sen to sign a bordery treaty of 1985, then Bangkok also wants Hun Sen to sign a border treaty allowing Thais to take control of Preah Vihear temple and region as well. It is all because Hun Sen started giving in to Hanoi and that is why Bangkok gets jealous and greedy and wants Hun Sen to comply with Thailand's demand as well.
Hanoi says that it could boss Hun Sen around because Hanoi could easily invade and take possession of the entire Cambodia just like that. Bangkok says that Hun Sen's Cambodia is nothing becuse it too can easily invade and take over Cambodia in a heartbeat. Hun Sen continues to tell the world that he can defend any invaders for only 10 years and after that Cambodia will be a piece of pie for the taking of any invaders.
Hun Sen is to be blamed for all of this because he gave in to the Viets and that is why the Thais want Hun Sen to give in to them too. Now Hun Sen will turn around saying that the Thais always wanted the Preah Vihear region since King Sihanouk's era. However, the Viets also wanted more Khmer territory since King Sihanouk's era but both the Thais and the Viets did not get an inch of any of the Khmer territory. However, with Hun Sen in power, Khmer islands and farmland areas are falling into the Viets hands chunks by chunks. The Thais see all of this happening very well and they also want a piece of the Cambodia Pie as well. So it all began with Hun Sen, the weakling who can only abuse the Khmer people at home.
The spoil brat has asked for another delay so that they will buy more time to wine with more complications for the Unesco to solve. Thailand has been spoiled so much that they don't know how to accept the fact.
yeah right! this is not the dark ages, you know! don't forget the world changed since then; there are now international law, UN body, etc... so don't think you can just invade and steal from cambodia again, asshole ah siem and ah youn, all can go to hell now!
Since Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge commander, now a Khmer Rouge leader and had many of his political opponents and journalists assassinated, I wonder if he have any plan to assassinate the Thai Prime Minister (Ahbullshit Vejjajiva)?
I agree with "PM Sok An" cambodia had already given Thailand too much, but they keep flip flop and screwed us UP! left and right, it's time to go forward and push the plans forward...2 years already gone by Thailand still screwing us on border demarcation!! they continue to play like childish games with cambodia...
Thai think and talk Monkey just like the Thai Monkey King because Thai are Monkey Alip Alop.
Border demarcation never been solved, because Thailand did not want to do it..?? they kept play childish games with cambodia...Oh wait for this?...Oh wait for that?
Stupid Thailand buying more time, so they can give UNESCO more headache...i don't know why UNESCO allow Thailand play childish game..?
Abhishit Vejjajiva said Preah Vihear must jointly listed..??
If We have the right leader, nothing happen till now. it's the root of the problem. When We are weak, the stronger one look and grab.Wake up, the strong man! It's time for you to re-think and Act otherwise your country will be in danger!!!
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