Suwit Khunkitti admitted Preah Vihear had already been listed as a world heritage site: Thailand wishy-washy claims

Suwit defends his Preah Vihear role

2/07/2009
BangkokPost.com

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti on Thursday insisted he was able to get Thailand about one year of extra time to raise its concerns over the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (Unesco) listing of Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site.

Mr Suwit admitted Preah Vihear had already been listed as a world heritage site, as Pongpol Adireksarn, former chairman of the Thai World Heritage Committee, had said.

But Cambodia had yet to formally complete its obligations by presenting a management plan for safeguarding and developing the temple, including a map of the buffer zone around the site.

Because of Thailand's opposition to the listing, coupled with Cambodia's inability to submit its plan by February this year, the WHC decided to give Cambodia until next February to do so.

This has given Thailand the opportunity to raise its concerns over its border dispute with Cambodia, said Mr Suwit.

Mr Suwit said Unesco has been told the two countries have not been able to settle their border dispute. "We need to explore ways of settling the dispute to end the Thai-Cambodian conflict over the listing of Preah Vihear," he added.

Asked whether Thailand would try to seek a bilateral listing of the temple, Mr Suwit said this could be done only after the disputed border has been clearly demarcated.

No peace at the temple

Pongpol Adireksarn, head of the Thai national world heritage committee meets a group of protesters rallying against Thailand's support of the Preah Vihear temple's listing during the World Heritage Committee's meeting in Quebec, Canada.
Cambodian soldiers stand guard in front of a gate on the Cambodian-Thai border in Preah Vihear province.

Scholars and historians are urging people on both sides of the border to take a calm and peaceful approach to the row that has erupted over the bid to get the ancient Preah Vihear temple listed as a World Heritage site

Tuesday July 08, 2008
Piyaporn Wongruang
Bangkok Post

More and more Thai people have been gathering near the Cambodian border, trying to exert pressure over the proposed listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.

In Bangkok, the issue has been heating up and has been picked up by critics of the government and the anti-government group the People's Alliance for Democracy, who have accused the administration of trying to exchange Thailand's support for the listing for future economic benefits in Cambodia for cronies of the Thai government.

And in the hearts of many Thais, there has been frustration and dissatisfaction, which has ignited fear and hatred towards their neighbour.

What will result from the success or failure of the Cambodian bid is a question several scholars have been trying to answer.

"The current situation is highly charged. What is most feared is not violence in Cambodia, but here, in Bangkok," said Surachart Bamrungsuk, a noted political scientist specialising in national security issues at Chulalongkorn University.

For Mr Surachart, who has studied national security issues for more than two decades, the issue of the Preah Vihear listing is challenging the mindset of Thai people as well as their neighbours over their unsettled boundaries.

The two countries have not settled on where the borderline should run near the temple.

The frontier with Cambodia is 798 kilometres long. And part of it involves the controversial overlapping territory, including the site around Preah Vihear with at least 4.6 square kilometres of disputed territory.

Originally, there were no borders or boundaries around Preah Vihear. According to some scholars, including noted historian Srisakra Vallibhotama, people in mainland Southeast Asia did not recognise territory based on boundary lines. They accepted symbols which mainly were landmarks relating to spiritual power, the scholar added, and Preah Vihear's location was believed to match this concept.

The ancient temple was built on top of a headland over a steep cliff, which separates the Cambodian plains from the the Korat plateau in Thailand. But the border agreed in 1904 and 1907 between France, which ruled Cambodia at the time, and Thailand, changed the perception of territory over the sanctuary. Preah Vihear was built and promoted as one of the highest value sacred places, being worshiped by several of the ancient Khmer kings.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites, which evaluated new listings for the World Heritage Committee, described Preah Vihear as "an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture. It is very 'pure' both in plan and in the details of its decoration", and the site of the temple and its environment today "represent a particularly significant example of the Khmer genius for adapting monuments to their environment".

The council's assessment reflects the temple's outstanding universal value, and it has thrown its weight behind listing it as a World Heritage site.

But the site was divided into separate territories in 1962 when the International Court of Justice handed down its verdict on the ownership of Preah Vihear.

The court's ruling stated that "the temple is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia", while its surrounding area is still contested by Thailand and Cambodia, with different boundary lines drawn over it.

In order to keep the integrity and value of the site, the controversy about the proposed listing of Preah Vihear should be managed with the right mindset, taking into account the unsettled boundaries between Thailand and Cambodia, scholars said.

Cambodia has proposed only the temple's structure be put on the World Heritage List, with Thailand trying to nominate the surrounding area separately.

Mr Surachart suggests both Thais and Cambodians find ways to overcome their past struggles over their unsettled boundaries so relations will not be damaged unnecessarily.

He recently proposed joint management in the form of either joint development areas or joint cultural development areas for Preah Vihear so the two countries could avoid clashing over their unsettled boundary. Preservation work for the site needs to be done, and when developed both countries should benefit.

"The disputed areas should be viewed as the property of all concerned because once you try to draw a line over them, there tends to be a winner and a loser, and no one wants to be a loser," he said. "A win-win situation is there for people."

Historian Mr Srisakra suggested that the people involved first understand the most important part in the Preah Vihear case is the integrity and universal value of the temple.

He said people should not push for the temple to be listed as a World Heritage site only because they want economic benefits. The real meaning of being a World Heritage site is that it helps reflect the world's civilisation, he added."Don't just look at short-term benefits and concentrate on keeping its physical property. The temple is actually a valuable cultural sphere that was once shared by people regardless of their races and nationalities," said Mr Srisakra.

For Thailand, Preah Vihear is merely a cultural spoil

Cambodian Conquest

July 9, 2008
By AFP, Daily Xpress

Thailand loses its bid to share the cultural spoils with Cambodia as Unesco lists Preah Vihear a World Heritage site. Political, legal battles here could lead to impeachment hearings for the Cabinet.

Overjoyed Cambodians were dancing in the streets yesterday on hearing news that the UN cultural agency has granted World Heritage status for the ancient Hindu temple disputed between Cambodia and Thailand.

Despite a long-standing territorial conflict over land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the 21-nation World Heritage Committee approved Cambodia's application to register the site at an Unesco meeting in Quebec, Canada.

"This is another pride for Cambodia and our people as well as for the people in the region and the world as a whole," Prime Minister Hun Sen says.

Watching on television, people held Cambodian flags as they listened to the PM's morning statement. Pagodas across the capital sounded their gongs as people rushed to markets and government offices to celebrate the listing.

At the temple, 200 Cambodians living near the entrance to the temple cheered in delight and welcomed World Heritage. Thai Si Sa Ket residents expressed disappointment and dismay.

Sukhum Wongprasit, a Thai activist, says his group will continue its rally to reclaim sovereignty over the disputed land using non-violent tactics.

Arunsak Ocharos, another activist, calls on the military to "show their professional pride" by protecting Thai soil.

The Constitution Court had earlier ruled that a joint communiqué Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed with Cambodia over Preah Vihear Temple in June is unconstitutional.

Court secretary-general Paiboon Warahapaiboon says signing of such an agreement with Cambodia needs approval from Parliament.

"The joint communiqué with Cambodia is considered a treaty in accordance with the Vienna Convention of 1969 and the Constitution's article 190 and as such needs approval from Parliament," he says.

The World Heritage status has sparked a political and legal battle that could lead to impeachment hearings for the Cabinet.

In 1962 the World Court ruled the temple belongs to Cambodia, although the main entrance lies at the foot of a mountain in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding area has caused years of disputes.

Preah Vihear Temple listed as a World Heritage site

July 8, 2008
The Nation

Unesco World Heritage Commitee is most likely to list Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site, Pongpol Adireksarn,chief of Thai World Heritage Committee said.

The panel which met in Quebec, Canada, is likely to grant favour to Cambodia's proposal although Thailand has opposed the move and propsoed a joint application instead.

The panel instead proposed that Thailand joined a committee on development of the temple together with Cambodia and other countries. The panel also suggested Thailand to propose Preah Vihear - Panom Dongrak National Park as a World Heritage Site in the future.

Samak jibes at temple injunction

Interference in govt, he says, citing academics

Monday July 07, 2008
Bangkok POST REPORTERS

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej indirectly criticised the Administrative Court over its ruling which blocked cabinet's approval of Thailand's support for Cambodia's listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site. Mr Samak said he agreed with academics who believed that the ruling interfered with the work of his administration.

The academics feared it could set a precedent and would damage the credibility of the administration in dealing with other countries.

The ruling ran counter to the checks and balances system between the administrative, legislative and judicial branches, he quoted academics as saying.

''Their comments are worth considering,'' the prime minister said in his weekly address, broadcast nationwide on NBT television and on radio.

The issue is the centre of attention in Thailand and in Quebec, where the World Heritage Committee (WHC) will consider whether to list the temple ruins as a new World Heritage site.

Chairman of the Thai World Heritage Committee Pongpol Adireksarn told Thai PBS last night that Cambodia looked set to secure the support of the WHC for its proposal.

In an earlier interview, he admitted that most of the 21 members who have the final say on new World Heritage sites have backed Cambodia.

''The Thai World Heritage Committee sounded out their position on the Preah Vihear listing. Most [committee members] agreed with Cambodia,'' he said.

Trying to avoid landing himself in legal trouble with the court, Mr Samak said he backed ''law academics'' who raised concerns about the Administrative Court's injunction against the cabinet's decision.

The court ruled on June 28 to put on hold the cabinet's resolution of June 17 endorsing the joint communique by Thailand and Cambodia concerning the temple.

Thailand backed Cambodia's bid to list the temple, after Phnom Penh limited the proposal to only the temple and left out a disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area.

The next day Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed the document with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

The International Council for Monuments and Sites (Icomos), the body which advises the WHC on cultural properties, said the two countries submitted the document on May 22.

But Mr Noppadon said that document was only an agreement in principle pending cabinet approval.

In Quebec, the Thai government now cites the Administrative Court injunction as a reason to delay the listing.

The Thai committee, which is acting as an observer at the meeting, wants a joint nomination by Thailand and Cambodia.

One hope for Thailand now lies in the recommendation by Icomos on the issue forwarded to the WHC.

The council opposed listing the temple alone, as it was linked historically to other ruins nearby.

The temple is in Cambodia but some of the ruins lie both in the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear, Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and the overlapping area.

''Icomos considers that the values of Preah Vihear are not limited to the monument alone.

''Icomos considers that the full value of the temple of Preah Vihear is inextricably linked to its surrounding landscape,'' it said.

Thai official: Controversial temple likely to be approved as World Heritage site

BANGKOK, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Attempts by Cambodia to list the controversial Preah Vihear temple, which stands across the area of both Cambodia and Thailand, as a World Heritage site during the current United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) annual session held in Canada's Quebec City, are expected to bear fruit, according to Thailand's World Heritage Committee.

Pongpol Adireksarn, chairman of the committee and currently attending the UNESCO session, said that more than half of the 21 World Heritage Committee members had told him informally that they favored the Cambodian government's registration of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site as it had "untiringly pursued the issue on a constant basis", the official Thai News Agency reported on Sunday.

He quoted committee members as telling him that the concerned Phnom Penh government had also invited them to visit the temple, unlike Thailand whose "policy was uncertain" and whose government changed frequently, the report said.

The temple issue is expected to be conferred by the World Heritage Committee on Sunday night, Thailand time.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a non-governmental organization, had distributed reports to the committee, saying that the listing of the temple alone as a World Heritage site would pose no problem for the consideration, said Pongpol.

But the ICOMOS recommended that both Cambodia and Thailand should jointly propose that the surrounding area to the temple should also be included as the World Heritage site.

Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, attending the session as an observer, is expected to oppose and delay the listing of the temple following the Thai Administrative Court's temporary injunction against the June 17 cabinet approval of the joint communique he signed with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

Noppadon said in Quebec that he would prepare a letter and lobby the Committee to delay the listing of the temple.

Concern in Quebec over temple row[: Thai claim]

Saturday July 05, 2008
TNA (Thailand)

All 21 World Heritage Committee members are concerned over the Preah Vihear temple situation after learning that Thailand's Administrative Court issued an injunction against the cabinet resolution a week ago, calling into question the government's endorsement of a joint communique signed by the Thailand and Cambodian governments, according to Pongpol Adireksarn, chairman of Thailand's World Heritage Committee, on Saturday.

The Cambodian government is proposing the ancient Hindu temple to be accorded World Heritage site status during the current UNESCO meeting, held in Quebec City, Canada.

Mr. Pongpol said the 21 committee members had received documents from the Thai foreign ministry signed by Minister Noppadon Pattama, informing them of the injunction granted by the Administrative Court, an action which forbids the use of the joint communiqué signed by the minister and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on June 18.

Several committee members had expressed concern and tried to find a solution which would not affect the otherwise warm relations between Thailand and Cambodia, said Mr. Pongpol.

"An informal meeting between senior officials of Asia and the Pacific countries will be held and they're expected to discuss about Preah Vihear temple too," said Mr. Pongpol, adding that the World Heritage Committee may consider the temple issue as the last agenda on the proposed sites on the list.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting will also consider, according to Mr. Pongpol, over 30 historical and ecological sites around the world that are currently at risk.

None of the at risk sites are in Thailand, he said, specifically naming the kingdom's best-known site, a historical park in Bangkok's neighboring province of Ayutthaya, a exemplary model of how a historical site can benefits surrounding areas.

Phnom Penh safeguards the Thai embassy even after Thailand wants to reclaim Preah Vihear back from Cambodia

Thu Jul 3, 2008
Cambodia safeguards Thai embassy amid temple spat

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia ordered extra police protection for the Thai embassy on Thursday for fear a row over the disputed 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple on their joint border might escalate into violence.

Phnom Penh police chief Touch Narath said he had posted the additional security after a request by protesters to rally outside the embassy, which was torched by a nationalist mob in 2003 in a spat over another ancient set of ruins.

"We had a bad experience in the past, so we have to be ready to prevent any ill-willed people burning the Thai embassy again," he told Reuters.

Cambodia is applying for World Heritage status for Preah Vihear, which sits on a craggy escarpment that forms the natural border between the fractious southeast Asian neighbours.

The International Court in the Hague ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, a decision that rankles with most Thais to this day.

Groups trying to oust Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej jumped on Bangkok's backing of the Cambodian World Heritage bid at a U.N. meeting this week in Quebec, whipping up nationalist fervour to claim the government was selling out its heritage.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has warned of consequences for the two countries' relations.

Cambodian politicians, no strangers to nationalism themselves, are in campaign mode for a July 27 election, making the chances of the spat spinnning out of control that much higher.

Military police chief Sao Sokha said he had extra forces on standby if the police struggle to keep order.

"We do not want to see any protest take place as we are busy with the election," he said.

The 2003 sacking of the Thai embassy -- also in the run-up to an election -- was triggered by a false report in a Khmer newspaper quoting a Thai soap opera star as saying Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temples in fact belonged to Thailand.