Preah Vihear: CLOSED

June 24, 2008
Daily Xpress (Thailand)

Cambodia says it's concerned for the safety of its citizens near the controversial Preah Vihear. So unless Thailand guarantees their safety, it will keep the temple...

Cambodia yesterday shut down the controversial Hindu temple of Preah Vihear to visitors as residents of northeastern Si Sa Ket province staged a protest.

Some 500 people have held a protest since June 22 accusing the Cabinet of endorsing Cambodian sovereignty over the temple after the government supported Cambodia's proposal to apply for it to become a world heritage site.

They also demanded that the Cambodian community be removed from the area.

The gate of the temple on Cambodia's side was supposed to be opened by 9am as usual but it remained closed the whole day, according to Colonel Thanya Kiartisarn, commander of the 23rd Task Force, which oversees the area.

"Cambodian officials informally informed us that they are worried over the safety of the Cambodian community near the temple," he said. "The temple will remain closed until the Thai authorities are able to guarantee safety."

A group of artists, senators and writers will petition Unesco at its Bangkok office at 11am today to stop it from accepting Cambodia's application for the listing of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site.

The petition, signed by more than 300 supporters, implies that Thailand and Cambodia should both apply for the temple's listing. Senator Rossana Tositrakul will join the group. She said she was considering lodging a complaint with the Constitution Court, after the government made the decision without a parliamentary okay.

Censure debate today

The Hindu temple has been the subject of conflict between Thailand and Cambodia since last year when Bangkok opposed Phnom Penh's application to annex 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area claimed by both sides. The dispute was settled after Cambodia agreed last month to accept that only the temple belonged to Cambodia.

However, the Democrat Party, the Senate and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) launched a series of attacks against the government in Parliament and on the streets. They accused the government of surrendering sovereignty to Cambodia.

PAD leader Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang said the group would today ask the Administrative Court to revoke the Cabinet resolution on Preah Vihear.

The Democrats will today open a censure debate on the issue.

Premier Samak Sundaravej dismissed a claim from Senator Khamnoon Sitthisamarn, saying that nobody could say the temple still belongs to Thailand after the International Court of Justice's ruling nearly half a century ago.

Cambodia temporarily closes Preah Vihear temple

BANGKOK, JUNE 23 (TNA) - Cambodian authorities ordered the closure of an historic temple on the Thai-Cambodia border Monday, and deployed an armed military unit for added security at the site to guard the temple under consideration as a World Heritage site in the wake of continuing protest in Thailand over the issue, according to a senior Thai military source.

The source downplayed concerns that the move might affect bilateral relations, saying it was a precautionary measure for security reason to prevent ill-intentioned people cause any disturbances.

The Cambodian authorities made the move in light of continuing protests in Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket bordering Cambodia demanding the eviction of Cambodian souvenir vendors from the stairway leading to the ancient ruins of the temple and opposing Cambodia's move to apply for registration the temple as a World Heritage site.

The Phnom Penh government will apply for registration of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site during the upcoming UNESCO meeting in Canada between July 2-10 as both Thailand and Cambodia signed a joint communique last Wednesday endorsing the Cambodian application.

Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama was taken to task in the Senate debate Monday for allegedly rushing through the temple deal with Cambodia.

Mr. Noppadon is among seven cabinet ministers in the Samak Sundaravej administration targetted by the opposition Democrat Party in a no-confidence debate scheduled on Tuesday.

He was accused of mishandling the Preah Vihear issue.

The foreign minister himself, however, dismissed the accusation and expressed confidence that he would be able to clarify all questions related to the issue.

Mr. Noppadon also shrugged off criticism that his plan to seek cabinet approval on applying for the reservoir and staircases leading to Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site was merely an attempt to reduce pressure from many quarters in Thai society, saying the foreign ministry would issue a White Paper to explain its handling of the issue.

Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul said a group of senators would petition the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on Tuesday opposing Cambodia's registration of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site.