[Thai] Govt asks Indonesia to send observers [-Thailand's flip-flopping on observer issues is UNBELIEVABLE!!!]

February 21, 2011
The Nation

Cambodia may propose Asean monitors to be based at Preah Vihear Temple

Thailand continued its delicate diplomatic manoeuvring over its territorial conflict with Cambodia yesterday with an invitation for Indonesia, in its capacity as Asean chair, to send observers to the border.

Bangkok has also reaffirmed its stance that existing bilateral mechanisms can solve the dispute.

In a statement underlying Thailand's cautious approach in regard to Asean, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said the Thai government expected the regional group's involvement would ensure talks between the two countries stay on course.

"I strongly insist the Thai side will rely on bilateral [consultations] with Cambodia," he said.

Thailand's perfidy? It agrees to the listing of Preah Vihear in public, but it is doing everything behind the scene to block it

Move to block cambodia's temple proposal likely to fail: Army

May 8, 2008
By Piyanart Srivalo The Nation (Thailand)

A move to block Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear temple as a United Nations World Heritage Site will probably fail as the government in Phnom Penh has managed to lobby at least 21 countries to take its side, a military source said yesterday.

A meeting between senior officials led by Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrakul and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An over the last two days has been "useless" since Phnom Penh has already achieved its goal, the source said.

Thailand had delayed the United Nations Educational, Science and Culture Organisation's decision to list the ancient Hindu temple as a World Heritage Site after Cambodia proposed the temple area along with the annexation of some 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area, claimed by both sides.

The temple belongs to Cambodia according to a ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the land below the hill-top temple claimed by the two countries remained unclear and the both sides agreed not to make any changes before the boundary demarcation was settled.

The listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site has nothing to do with national sovereignty, but if the area were annexed into part of the temple, Thailand would de facto lose the area, the military source said.

The Foreign Ministry proposed to Cambodia the establishment of a joint body to run the overlapping area before listing the temple as a World Heritage Site.

The two countries have not yet reached any common ground on the idea.

Bangkok accepts Cambodia's sovereignty over Preah Vihear, BUT ...

Top officials to discuss Preah Vihear

World Heritage listing row still needs settling

Tuesday May 06, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

A top foreign affairs official will leave for Phnom Penh today for discussions on the controversial issue of Unesco World Heritage listing for the ancient Khmer temple of Preah Vihear. Foreign affairs permanent secretary Weerasak Futrakul will meet Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in the Cambodian capital.

Bangkok accepts Cambodia's sovereignty over Preah Vihear, which sits right on the border with Si Sa Ket province but can be easily accessed only through Thailand.

But they need to settle the dispute over ownership of 4.6 square kilometres of land adjoining the temple ruins.

Thailand has proposed that a joint management plan be drawn up for the overlapping areas until the border demarcation is completed, and that they jointly propose Preah Vihear to Unesco for listing. Cambodia has so far thrown cold water on the Thai proposal and will continue its solo push for the temple's registration with the UN body at a meeting in Canada in July.

The Preah Vihear dispute erupted in 2001 when Cambodia asked Unesco to put the ancient ruins, called Khao Phra Viharn in Thai, on the World Heritage List. Unesco last year postponed a decision on the listing pending an agreement between the two sides.

According to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, Unesco special representative Francesco Caruso has cancelled a trip to Thailand and Cambodia during which he was to have separate talks with the two governments on the issue. The cancellation came after Cambodia suggested the two sides settle the issue between themselves.

The Preah Vihear dispute has at times strained relations between the two neighbours.

On April 10, the government handed an aide-memoire to Cambodian ambassador Ung Sean protesting the deployment of Cambodian troops near the temple. Phnom Penh countered by summoning Thai envoy Viraphand Vacharathit to deny the allegations.

Thailand flipflopping - again - on Preah Vihear listing as UNESCO World Heritage site

PM, Cambodian leader clear the air on Preah Vihear

(BangkokPost.com) – Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has disclosed that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej managed to discuss the issue on Preah Vihear temple with his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines, whilst attending the Greater Mekong Sub-region summit.

“Thailand is not against Cambodia’s proposal to list Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site as long as the surrounding land is not included as part of the request," he said. "I’m sure there won’t be any problems if we come to an agreement that Thailand will not be forced to give up land to Cambodia as a result of this request.”

Mr Samak also reportedly met with Chinese leader Wen Jiabao where he expressed full support for the Olympics 2008 which China will be hosting. Mr Samak vowed to do his best to ensure that the Olympics flame passes Thailand without a hitch.

Bangkok flipflopping on Preah Vihear: from "not a topic of discussion" to "top of agenda" for Samak's visit to Phnom Penh

Preah Vihear to top the agenda of Samak's visit to Cambodia

Friday February 29, 2008
WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post

Preah Vihear will top the agenda of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's official visit to Cambodia, starting Monday. A military source said the prime minister would talk to his Cambodian counterpart about jointly proposing the Preah Vihear Khmer temple ruins, called Khao Phra Viharn in Thai, as a World Heritage site since the two countries have yet to settle the border demarcation in that area which is located in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket.

Moreover, the Thai side believes the area that covers about 7.2 sq km should not be included in the area to be designated a World Heritage site.

Last year, Cambodia tried to register the site with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) alone. But the UN agency delayed its decision, urging the two countries to resolve the issue together.

''Due to the unsettled border, Cambodia cannot register the ruins alone. If Cambodia wants to apply for World Heritage status, the proposal should be jointly submitted with Thailand because the area is supervised by two countries.

''If Cambodia pushes on with its idea, it should not include the 7.2 sq km disputed area because it means Thailand might lose its sovereignty over the area in question,'' the source said.

Mr Samak's trip will follow a two-day official visit to Laos which begins today.

A meeting of the World Heritage committee will be convened from July 4 to 12 in Canada.