The 1908 map of what Cambodia insists is the legitimate boundary (with Cambodia south of the red border line), is shown alongside a Thai map that was rejected by the International Court of Justice in 1962. (Photo Supplied)Monday, 02 August 2010
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
CAMBODIAN officials have declared victory in a standoff with Thailand after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s World Heritage Committee noted the submission of the government’s conservation management plan for Preah Vihear temple and scheduled it for consideration next year.
On Thursday, the Cambodian and Thai delegations to the WHC hashed out a compromise relating to the plan, which has ignited nationalist protests in Bangkok.
According to the compromise draft decision – signed by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, Thai Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti and WHC President Joao Luiz Silva Ferreira – the committee noted the progress report submitted by Cambodia and postponed consideration of the documents until its next session in Bahrain in 2011.
It also welcomed “the steps taken by the State Party towards the establishment of an international coordination committee for the sustainable conservation of the Temple of Preah Vihear”.
Other documents released during Thursday’s meeting, copies of which have been obtained by the Post, state that Cambodia submitted its management plan in February, along with a report containing information about the current conservation efforts being carried out at the site.
On Friday, Sok An declared the outcome a “big victory” for Cambodia. “What Thailand did not accept before, now they did,” he said in a statement issued by the Council of Ministers’ Press and Quick Reaction Unit on Friday.
He said that the body not only accepted the proposal, “but they also praised us for good planning”.
The compromise followed Thai threats to withdraw from UNESCO if the WHC signed off on Cambodia’s management plan.
Thailand has opposed the listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site since it was approved by the WHC in July 2008, and claims sovereignty over a 4.6-square kilometre area adjacent to the temple.
On Saturday, Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya said the outcome of the meeting did not benefit one country over the other.
“Neither country wins on the issue. What [Sok An] said Cambodia had won was [not correct],” Thai news agency TNA quoted him as saying.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday morning that Bangkok would only accept the management plan if the temple was jointly administered by both countries, and that Cambodia’s proposed plan infringed on the disputed area.
Sue Williams, a UNESCO spokeswoman, said Thursday that the WHC lacked the mandate to “approve” anything and could only note the acceptance of Cambodia’s management plan.
Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Press and Quick Reaction Unit, said the WHC was only empowered to monitor the country’s adherence to the WHC’s guidelines.
“Cambodia still has the right for the development and conservation of the temple as normal,” he said.
On Thursday, the Cambodian and Thai delegations to the WHC hashed out a compromise relating to the plan, which has ignited nationalist protests in Bangkok.
According to the compromise draft decision – signed by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, Thai Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti and WHC President Joao Luiz Silva Ferreira – the committee noted the progress report submitted by Cambodia and postponed consideration of the documents until its next session in Bahrain in 2011.
It also welcomed “the steps taken by the State Party towards the establishment of an international coordination committee for the sustainable conservation of the Temple of Preah Vihear”.
Other documents released during Thursday’s meeting, copies of which have been obtained by the Post, state that Cambodia submitted its management plan in February, along with a report containing information about the current conservation efforts being carried out at the site.
On Friday, Sok An declared the outcome a “big victory” for Cambodia. “What Thailand did not accept before, now they did,” he said in a statement issued by the Council of Ministers’ Press and Quick Reaction Unit on Friday.
He said that the body not only accepted the proposal, “but they also praised us for good planning”.
The compromise followed Thai threats to withdraw from UNESCO if the WHC signed off on Cambodia’s management plan.
Thailand has opposed the listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site since it was approved by the WHC in July 2008, and claims sovereignty over a 4.6-square kilometre area adjacent to the temple.
On Saturday, Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya said the outcome of the meeting did not benefit one country over the other.
“Neither country wins on the issue. What [Sok An] said Cambodia had won was [not correct],” Thai news agency TNA quoted him as saying.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday morning that Bangkok would only accept the management plan if the temple was jointly administered by both countries, and that Cambodia’s proposed plan infringed on the disputed area.
Sue Williams, a UNESCO spokeswoman, said Thursday that the WHC lacked the mandate to “approve” anything and could only note the acceptance of Cambodia’s management plan.
Tith Sothea, spokesman for the Press and Quick Reaction Unit, said the WHC was only empowered to monitor the country’s adherence to the WHC’s guidelines.
“Cambodia still has the right for the development and conservation of the temple as normal,” he said.
8 comments:
If the Thai map was incorrect and rejected by the ICJ of 1962, why on earth Google map continues to show this incorrect map?
The Royal Govenment of Cambodia must demand Google's correction!
GOOGLE IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE...
Google is totally irresponsible for publishing incorrect boundary lines of Cambodia, not conforming to UN map. If left uncheck, this could cause irreparable harm to the territorial integrity of Cambodia.
The Royal Government of Cambodia recently made a request to Google concerning this issue over the Preah Vihear, Poipet and other areas. Revisions have been made by Google, but still inaccurate per UN recognized map.
1. Google’s Preah Vihear area is still incorrect per the 1904-07 Franco-Siamese treaty map of Annex I which was deposited at UN. Google chose to follow the American army map instead showing the 4.6 km2 as part of Thailand. The line further cut into the entry way of Preah Vihear temple with a broken dash line. Totally wrong, totally impartial! Dash line would yield to Thai for future claims. It should be a solid line further north by 300 m.
2. In Poipet, the previous boundary line was completely wrong, showing Angkor Wat entry gate and several Cambodian casinos on the Thai side. After Google’s recent revision, the error still persists. The actual boundary line is in the middle of O’Chrov River bridge, not 200 m over the bridge into Khmer land.
3. The boundary line of Kampuchea-Vietnam is still incorrect because there was no attempt by the RGC to demand correction. The Prek Krabao canal is the actual boundary between Cambodia and Vietnam. However, Google’s map shows it at least 500 m to 1000 m west of the canal. Now this is insane and reckless!
4. The RGC must send an official letter to the Vietnamese government demanding an explanation. What on earth were their motives building highways 1-3 km way inside the Cambodian side of Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces. Do the Vietnamese think that the Cambodia-Vietnam boundary lines are transparent and not official?
5. All the boundary lines around Cambodia with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam must be analyzed and scrutinized to ensure correctness per Cambodia UN deposited map.
Khmer people lost so much already. It is our duty in each generation to verify and safeguard the land that we have left. If the International Court of Justice decision over Preah Vihear Temple in 1962, some 48 years ago has no meaning to the Thais, who else can protect our homeland but ourselves…
Khmer Battambang
08.01.10
thanks for posting the maps here. the map diagram here was used by icj in their ruling. although is it graphic, not photo map like google have today, still it was the official map that show the areas are clearly undisputably cambodia. how is siem still argue with the icj ruling. and siem media stop saying accessway is only from thailand or siem, ok. because this map proves you people wrong, ok. god bless cambodia.
It's not postponed, It's considered.
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)?
Don't worry about those Thai Pads, just be on alert, They're just using Preah Vihear as their political tools, Both Hun Sen and Abbhishit. They know Preah Vihear belong to Khmer and the map also. They just try too make confusion. If we're not patient enough to stick to ICJ they will gain some benefit from us. Be calm and be defensive. If they don't respect the ICJ, Europe gonna sanction Thailand and alots of countries will do the same just like they did to North Korea.
10:47pm, good question. i can tell you: google is an american company that's in business of mapping the international borderlines of the world. according to what i know, google said they obtain the map information, especially for the borderlines of cambodia and thailand or siem for a company called tele atlas, ltd which is based in thailand or siem's capital bangcock (we know how it is). so, naturally, biased, unilateral siem map, and everything else in siem or thailand's interest was placed before the international law there in bangcock. so, does that answer your question. so, cambodia must write google to stop getting their map information from tele atlas, ltd based in bangcock and to instead start changing and using the internationally recognized map for their google earth business of mapping, you know. that's all! if in doubt, write and ask google where they got their map info and they will tell you. so from there, we know who or what biased group of people or country is behind the controversial mapping of khmer and siem borderlines!
yes, i'm sure if google earth would've gotten their mapping information from cambodia, then the map on google earth will look right like the internationally recognized map, that is! shame on google earth and siem or thailand for violating the international law again, here!
Post a Comment