Tense situation at the Preah Vihear temple international gate

02 July 2007
By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Cambodian border officials based on top of the Preah Vihear temple mountain said that dissension between Cambodian and Thai border defense troops still lingers, and that the black-clad Thai soldiers based in Thailand’s Sisaket province still continue to prevent tourists from crossing over to visit the temple, and merchants are not allowed to bring food in to sell in Cambodia.

Sat Sam Ay, the deputy border gate police chief, said on Monday 02 July morning that the Thai soldiers plan to hold a discussion meeting with Cambodian border troop, but that the Thai soldiers still continue to prevent tourists from crossing the border.

Sat Sam Ay said: “Normally they would come over to the gate at 8:00 AM to unlock it everyday, but in the last few days, when Cambodians showed up to cross the border, they do not allow them. Yesterday, they (Thai soldiers) came over to propose that we meet them, but at our gate, we did not commit anything wrong, so we told them to come and meet us at our office at the border gate, but up to now, nobody shows up yet.”

Cambodian people living on top of the mountain said that because of the closing of the border gate by the Thai soldiers, they also prevented the import of food staples into Cambodia, and that now, local Cambodian people are facing food shortage.

A local villager said: “It’s been three days now that they (Thai soldiers) do not allow those who used to bring in foods to sell to us. We have food and rice shortage during the closing because we did not stock them, so now we have to bring them from the bottom of the mountain (on the Cambodian side).”

A Cambodian border defense official said that Thai soldiers started to prevent tourists from coming to visit Preah Vihear temple since 29 June, right after a meeting between the Cambodian and Thai border troop commanders held at the top of the mountain. During the meeting, Cambodian border defense troop tightened the access rule to the temple and said that uniformed Thai soldiers are not allowed access into the temple perimeter.

On Monday morning, RFA attempted to reach the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, but clerks at the embassy said that Thai embassy officials are busy with meetings.

On 30 June, the Thai Khav Sut newspaper quoted Colonel Thanya Keatisan, the commander of the black-clad Thai soldiers based on Kantharalak district, Sisaket province, claiming that Thai soldiers did not close the gate, and that they only told visiting tourists to be careful.

Khieu Sopheak, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, said that the Cambodian government does not want to see these incidents. Khieu Sopheak added that the goal of the government is to turn the border into one of cooperation between the two countries.

Khieu Sopheak said: “What we want is a Cambodian border zone of cooperation.”

On Sunday, Var Kim Hong, president of the Cambodian government committee for resolution of border disputes, considered that these are minor issues, and he asked that Cambodian officials based in Preah Vihear and the Cambodian border authority resolve this issue with understanding with their Thai counterparts.

Thailand threatens to oppose Preah Vihear listing again next year if border and management issues not resolved

Thailand supports World Heritage status for Cambodian Hindu temple

Bangkok, June 29 (DPA) - Thailand has welcomed 'in principle' a decision by the World Heritage Committee this week to consider Preah Vihear, a famed Hindu temple perched on the Thai-Cambodian border, as a World Heritage Site next year.

'In principle, Thailand totally agrees that Preah Vihear should be listed on as a World Heritage Site next year, but there are some issues that should be settled first between Thailand and Cambodia,' said Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat Friday.

The World Heritage Committee at its 31st session in Christchurch, New Zealand, recognized Phrea Vihear as a temple of great international significance that deserves to be inscribed as a heritage site but postponed its decision on the temple until next year.

Thailand reportedly blocked a Cambodian request that the site be inscribed this year, citing unresolved issues over the joint management of the temple and an ongoing border dispute in the area.

Former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk took Thailand to the World Court in 1962 over the two countries' claim to Phrea Vihear and won.

The Hindu temple sits on a cliff marking the Thai-Cambodian border, making access from the Cambodian side difficult.

'Thailand and her people stand ready seriously and promptly to extend cooperation and support to Cambodia and the international community in order to develop Preah Vihear Temple to become an archaeological site with world heritage value as well as a symbol of lasting friendship and relations between Thailand and Cambodia and their people,' said a statement issued Friday by the Thai foreign ministry.

But Tharit said he could not predict if Thailand would actually support Cambodia's bid to make Phrea Vihear a World Heritage Site next year if the differences over the site's management and related demarcation issues were not resolved.