Diplomatic Exchanges Heat Up Over Temple

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 November 2008

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong called the Thai ambassador to his office Thursday, in an escalating war of words between the two countries over Preah Vihear temple.

Soldiers on both sides remain in positions along disputed border regions, and the temple remains a flashpoint between the two countries. At least four soldiers have died in fighting along the border in recent months.

Hor Namhong told reporters Thursday Cambodia did not accept a statement by the Thai foreign ministry that censured the posting of flags and a signboard above the temple earlier this month.

Unesco has declared the temple a World Heritage site under the care of Cambodia, but in a memo last week, Thailand said it disapproved of the flags and sign.

The Thai foreign ministry has also decried Kathin ceremonies held at a pagoda near the temple. Both sides now claim rights to the land.

Thailand protested against the raising of Unesco flags at Preah Vihear temple

(L-R): Unesco flag, World Heritage flag and a Cambodian flag which were raised on 7th of November in the Preah Vihear complex.

16th November, 2008
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The raising of the Unesco flags and the Khmer Kathen ceremony at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak have enraged Thailand which led it to lodge a strong protest.

Radio Free Asia’s reporter based in Thailand reported that Thailand has protested in a statement issued on Friday, 14th of November, 2008.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested against a number of activities performed by Khmer authority in the Preah Vihear areas where one activity took place on the 7th of November and the other took place on the 12th of November. Thailand accused that these sorts of activities have violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On the 7th of November, Khmer and Unesco officials have raised Unesco flags in the Preah Vihear complex and on the 12th of November, the Khmer authority has held a Kathen ceremony inside the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda.

In a statement issued on Friday the 14th of November, the Thai Foreign Ministry has said that it had sent a protest letter to Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs because the Cambodian authority did not inform the Thai side about its activities in the areas and accused Cambodia of violating Thailand’s territory around the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda.

The Thai Foreign Ministry has accused Cambodia of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity because Cambodia’s activity on the 7th of November include the raising of three flags on the towers of the Preah Vihear temple and the construction of two large signposts on the staircase of the temple. Thailand has accused the Cambodian officials who went to raise the flags by crossing through its territory without prior permission from the Thai authority.

There is no news regarding the Cambodian reactions to the protest of the Thai Foreign Ministry.

However, Cambodian border activists based in Europe has reacted to the Thai protest.

Mr. Kiri Setha, a Khmer from The Netherlands, said: “The raising of the Unesco flags, flags representing the International Court of Justice and Cambodian flags is the sovereignty of Cambodia in order to confirm the ownership of its heritage. And the holding of a Kathen ceremony at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak is purely a Cambodian matter, it’s the right of Cambodia.”

Mr. Kiri Setha said that, because of the outrage against Thai invasion of the Cambodian territories that caused about 270 Khmer people from around the world to stage a demonstration in front of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, The Netherlands, on the 1st of November.

Those 270 protesters include Khmer people from Cambodia, France, The Netherlands, Norway, America, Canada as well as from Germany.

Kathen Ceremonies Held in Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak or Wat Prasat Preah Vihear Pagoda raised $180,000

The top picture: Gen. Hing Bunheang made donations to the monks and bottom picture: the monks receiving donations of consumption goods.( Photos by Vontha).

Koh Santepheap Newspaper
14th November, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Preah Vihear: In the morning of the 12th of November, two Kathen ceremonies were organised by Samdech Hun Sen and Lady Bun Rany Hun Sen in associations with some government institutions as well as authorities of Preah Vihear province and Siem Reap province to take the donations to Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak or Wat Prasat Preah Vihear pagoda.

The Kathen ceremonies brought donations for four pagodas, including Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak or Wat Prasat Preah Vihear pagoda, Wat Kiri Seima pagoda called Wat Phum Muoy, Wat Tejak Raingsey called Wat Phum Svay Chrum and Wat Sra-Em Ratanram called Wat Phum Sra-Em pagoda. These four pagodas are located in Kantuot commune, Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province.

The money raised during the Kathen ceremonies on that day amounted to 720 million riels ($US180,000) plus some consumption goods. The money raised and the consumption goods donated will be given to the four pagodas named above, ie. Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak will receive 300 million riels ($US75,000), Wat Kiri Seima will receive 100 million riels ($US25,000), Wat Tejak Raingsey will receive 100 million riels ($US25,000) and Wat Sra-Em Ratanaram will receive 100 million riels ($US25,000). Other than the four temples, 100 million riels ($US25,000) of the Kathen money have been donated to the soldiers stationed at the Preah Vihear frontlines, 20 million riels ($US5,000) was given to the organising committee of the Kathen at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak and as well as donations to the 80 Buddhist monks residing at the temple where each monk receives 200,000 riels ($US50). The money donated to the 80 Buddhist monks are money donated by private donors, not the money taken out from the Kathen.

The participants in the Kathen on that day include all frontline military commanders, Gen. Pol Saroeun, Gen. Hing Bunheang, Gen. Srey Doek, Oknha (Sir) Sieng Nam, the MP for Siem Reap, Sou Phirint, the Governor of Siem Reap and Maj-Gen. Sor Thavy, Deputy Governor of Preah Vihear province as well as many government officials from different institutions, people from the two provinces and hundreds of the troops stationed in the areas.//

Thailand still dreaming: It claims that Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak is inside Thailand, why is there no Thai monks there?

Khmer Monks inside Khmer pagoda Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak which is located inside Cambodia territory

Thailand protests Cambodia over religious ceremony at disputed temple

BANGKOK, Nov 15 (TNA) - Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a protest against Cambodian authorities who performed a religious ceremony at a temple located in Thai territory.

In an Aide-Memoire dated November 13, the Thai government protested Cambodia’s Kathin ceremony which was held at Keo Sikha Kiri Savara pagoda on November 12.

Thai officials in the border province of Si Saket reported seeing around 500 Cambodian people at the temple.

"Such action was considered a blatant and willful violation of Thailand’s sovereignty as the crowd had entered Thai soil without permission from the Thai government," said the aide-memoire.

The statement also mentioned Thailand still maintained its standpoint in working constructively and closely with Cambodia within the existing framework of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary or JBC to resolve their border conflict in a peaceful manner.