[Thailand makes] A mistake to snub Unesco heritage convention

July 2, 2011
The Nation

Strangely absent from this discourse are the claims by main Cambodian opposition leader, Sam Rainsy - who has now gone into self-imposed exiled - accusing Hun Sen's long time friend Vietnam of encroaching on Cambodian land.

It appears that Thailand has cut off its nose to spite its face in the dispute over Preah Vihear Temple and adjacent territorial claims

The recent decision by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti to walk out of the World Heritage Committee's meeting in Paris may have boosted his popularity here in certain quarters but in the long run Thailand's international standing may be put in an unwanted spotlight.

Thailand has to review its strategy regarding its decision to withdraw from the 1972 World Heritage Convention carefully after the kingdom decided to withdraw from the convention to express its disagreement with the World Heritage inscription of Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple.

Suwit defended his decision by saying it was made to protect Thailand's sovereignty over the territory adjacent to Preah Vihear. He said it was "too risky" for Thailand to accept the Preah Vihear management plan, in which Unesco and its committee would be asked to dispatch experts for restoration of the temple.

Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), expressed her deep regret at Suwit's declaration of Thailand's intention to denounce the 1972 World Heritage Convention. She claimed that the World Heritage Committee did not discuss the management plan of the Temple of Preah Vihear, nor did it request any reports to be submitted on its state of conservation.

The International Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear was in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, but questions remain unanswered over 4.6 square kilometres of adjacent territory.

Rong Chhun: “The celebration is simply being used for political gain, which only confuses voters before election day”

Victorious delegation returns home

Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Touch Yuthea (Further reporting by Neth Pheaktra)
The Mekong Times

“Celebrating the ceremony at Olympic Stadium is aimed at confusing the public to obtain political gain during the upcoming elections. As far as the temple is concerned, H.E Sok An should again look at the documents he previously took to Thailand. Thailand has now announced it will claim the territory around the temple as Sok An’s drawn map involves only the body of the temple” - SRP MP Son Chhay

The Cambodian delegation returned home yesterday after successfully registering Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An who led the working group to Canada said at the airport, “I am very excited, as the temple has been successfully listed after seven years.”

A party held at Olympic Stadium to welcome the arrival of the Cambodian officials, was broadcast live by Bayon TV station. Sok An said that the World Heritage Committee, consisting of 21 member countries representing 185 signatories to the Convention on World Heritage, unanimously backed Cambodia’s inscription of the ancient temple on the World Heritage List. Citing the importance of the listing, he claimed, “Registration of the temple as a World Heritage Site signifies that the temple belongs to Cambodia.”

Sok An described the negotiation strategies used with UNESCO and Thailand to reach the decision for listing of the temple. Sok An cited Thais’ past protest against the listing of Preah Vihear Temple as the World Heritage Site based on three points: the border issue, joint listing of Preah Vihear Temple and a lake in Thailand, Cambodia’s proposal to register Preah Vihear temple without discussion with Thailand.

“The mentioning of border issues is not true as Cambodia used the map determined by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.” Concerning Thailand’s request to jointly list the temple, he said Cambodia declined the request due to the fact that the temple belongs to Cambodia. He said that if Cambodia had agreed with Thailand’s request to register Preah Vihear temple and a lake in Thailand as a World Heritage Site, “it would have lost 50 percent of its sovereignty and other interests.”

Before listing Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site, Cambodia had responded to three requirements of the World Heritage Committee – improve the maintenance of Preah Vihear Temple; prepare regular reports to plan for managing the temple; and cooperate with Thailand.

A delighted Sok An said the listing of the temple as a World Heritage Site is one of the great achievements of the third-mandate government whose term is coming to an end. “We must remember the victory of the government as well as of the CPP,” he underlined, adding, “There are many more tasks and achievements we need to complete in the future. Voting for CPP means voting for Samdech Hun Sen as the future Prime Minister, who will complete those tasks.”

“The celebration ceremony at Olympic Stadium is nothing special as Preah Vihear temple has been Cambodia’s property since 1962 under the crusade of former King Norodom Sihanouk,” said Rong Chhun, president of Cambodia Watchdog Council. “The celebration is simply being used for political gain, which only confuses voters before election day,” he added.

Son Chhay, Sam Rainsy Party spokesman said: “Celebrating the ceremony at Olympic Stadium is aimed at confusing the public to obtain political gain during the upcoming elections. As far as the temple is concerned, H.E Sok An should again look at the documents he previously took to Thailand. Thailand has now announced it will claim the territory around the temple as Sok An’s drawn map involves only the body of the temple.” The Cambodian government has claimed that listing the temple as a World Heritage Site will not relinquish Cambodian territory.

Celebration of Cambodia's 'Preah Vihear' temple enlisted as a World Heritage site

A Cambodian national flag flys above the crowd during the celebration of Cambodia's 'Preah Vihear' temple enlisted as a World Heritage site during a rally Monday, July 14, 2008 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodians celebrate the decision made for Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site during a rally Monday, July 14, 2008 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A Cambodian traditional dancer waits for her take to celebrate Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple enlisted as a World Heritage site during a rally Monday, July 14, 2008 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Performers cheer during celebrations at the national stadium after the Preah Vihear temple was announced as a World Heritage site in Phnom Penh July 14, 2008. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally on Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark, an official said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
A performer dances during celebrations at the national stadium after the Preah Vihear temple was announced as a World Heritage site in Phnom Penh July 14, 2008. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally on Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark, an official said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Performers dance in celebration at the national stadium after the Preah Vihear temple was announced as a World Heritage site in Phnom Penh July 14, 2008. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally on Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark, an official said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Performers dance during celebrations at the national stadium after the Preah Vihear temple was announced as a World Heritage site in Phnom Penh July 14, 2008. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally on Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark, an official said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Hun Sen hijacking the celebration as usual!
Spectators hold Cambodian national flags and portraits of Prime Minister Hun Sen during celebrations at the national stadium after the Preah Vihear temple was announced as a World Heritage site in Phnom Penh July 14, 2008. The Cambodian government organized another mass rally on Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark, an official said. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodia holds big concert to hail Preah Vihear temple as world heritage

PHNOM PENH, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia here on Monday held a big concert inside the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh to hail the Preah Vihear temple to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sok An, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and head of the senior Cambodian delegation for applying for the Preah Vihear temple with the World Heritage Committee, presided over the ceremony after arrival from Canada.

Sok An said that the committee banged the hammer to decide to list the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site after "we showed all documents to implement the UNESCO's requests."

"Listing the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site showed us that the temple is top Khmer architecture for humanities," he added.

Cambodia's next generation has to preserve it and it is not only Khmer people but also people of the world have to do so, he said.

At the ceremony, thousands of old and young Cambodians wearing T-shirts shouted, waved the national flag and chanted songs on Khmer history while all top Cambodian singers sang the songs in relation with the Preah Vihear temple and land of Preah Vihear with traditional music.

All the 21 members of the World Heritage Committee during its 32nd session unanimously approved the Cambodian application to list the temple as the World Heritage Site in Quebec, Canada, last week.

Fortunately for Cambodia, last minute efforts by the Thai delegation to delay the vote and to have joint management of the temple failed at the current session of the committee.

On June 15, 1962, the International Court of Justice decided toward the ancient Angkorian site at the Cambodian-Thai border to Cambodia over the protest of Thailand.

10,000 Cambodians rally to celebrate ancient temple's World Heritage status

07/14/2008
AP

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - Cambodians celebrated the U.N.'s listing of an 11th-century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark with a mass rally, fireworks and plenty of nationalist songs Monday.

A crowd estimated by authorities at 10,000 — some wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with the image of Preah Vihear temple — gathered to cheer the recognition by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee a week ago.

The listing angered political leaders in neighboring Thailand, and sparked small protests by some Thais who feared it would jeopardize their country's claims to disputed land adjacent to the site.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, who headed his government's lobbying efforts for the temple's status, recounted what he called repeated attempts by Thailand to prevent Cambodia from unilaterally pursuing its goal.

He dismissed as unacceptable Thailand's demand for a joint application with Cambodia because that would mean Phnom Penh would have to share ownership of the site.

"Our cause is just and fair. Our achievement is of great significance given the tough struggle we have managed to overcome," Sok An said to loud applause. "It also further reaffirms that Preah Vihear temple is Cambodia's."

In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.

Some Thais have been protesting the UNESCO listing near the border and demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple. In response, Cambodia has sealed off access from Thailand to the temple, forcing many Cambodian vendors who survive on income from tourists to close their shops, said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple.

He said some villagers were surviving on food aid sent by the Cambodian Red Cross.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has accused Thai opposition politicians of exploiting the cross-border dispute to advance their own domestic political agenda and warned they might endanger bilateral relations.

Cambodia to hold rally celebrating temple's World Heritage status

Monday, July 14, 2008
The Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: The Cambodian government organized another mass rally Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark.

Some 10,000 people were expected to gather late Monday to celebrate Preah Vihear temple's new status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, said Mann Chhoeun, deputy governor of Phnom Penh Municipality that organized the event.

"We have succeeded in this goal not by just sitting idly. We struggled hard to get it," Mann Chhoeun said.

Preah Vihear was declared a World Heritage site last week despite objections from groups in Thailand. The two countries have a long-standing dispute over the land that surrounds the border temple, and Thai activists have recently revived nationalist sentiment over the issue.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.

Mann Chhoeun said the temple's new status is "the second success" for Cambodia following the ruling.

He said speeches will be read and nationalist songs will be sung at the ceremony purely to express "our pride and modest joy."

As Cambodians celebrate the recognition for the temple, a small group of Thais continue to protest, demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple.

Responding to Thai protests, Cambodia has sealed off access from Thailand to the temple, forcing many Cambodian vendors who survive on income from tourists to close their shops, said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple.

He said some villagers were surviving on food aid sent by the Cambodian Red Cross.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has accused Thai opposition politicians of exploiting the cross-border dispute to advance their own domestic political agenda and warned they might endanger bilateral relations.

Last week Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple designated as a World Heritage Site.

Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Noppadon, whose resignation takes effect Monday, has denied the allegations.