Preah Vihear border spat

[Yappofloyd]

A WIN-WIN TEMPLE DEAL - THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL Bkk Post 22/06/08

The governments of Thailand and Cambodia have ended their negotiations over the controversial Preah Vihear temple with a win-win result. But the way Thai agencies bungled the issue by trying to promote a better understanding of the deal with the public should be another lesson to learn. Not enough effort went into the public relations campaign. And what made the issue worse was that it became linked to politics. Coincidentally, negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia over the 11th-century temple ended as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began its latest campaign to oust the government.

The sensitive issue of the temple was also singled out by the anti-government demonstrators and used to attack the government by convincing people who have not closely followed the issue to come forward and join the rally. If anyone has the opportunity to carefully compare the allegations and facts from all sides _ from Foreign Ministry officials to academics and PAD _ they would not be easily misguided.

Although Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has claimed the agreement as his personal success, he alone was not responsible for these international negotiations. The staff from the ministry, especially from the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, worked hard for years to protect Thai sovereignty. Nobody realises how many of the staff at this agency have become sick from stress caused by intense border negotiations with Thailand's neighbours.

They are the real heroes who have worked hard to protect Thai soil so not one single inch is lost to other countries. These are the staff who paved the way for negotiations with Cambodia, which still uses the old map which includes 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping land with Thailand.

The map was drawn in 1904 by France and Cambodia has adhered to it since then, while Thailand has stood firmly by the use of watershed lines to indicate the border, which is consistent with international law. Bangkok and Phnom Penh engaged in a hot debate in the early 1960s over the issue which resulted in the International Court of Justice's verdict to give the temple as well as the land under the temple to Cambodia.

It was Cambodia which wanted to wrap up these negotiations. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen wants to use this issue in his campaign for the upcoming general election on July 27. He wants the temple listed by the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) as a World Heritage Site. That is why the Cambodian government agreed to draw a new map, which leaves the disputed area to be further negotiated by the two countries in the future.

This made the Thai negotiating team happy and, in return, it supported Cambodia's bid in the Unesco registration process. Thailand is also satisfied that the demarcation in the new map conforms to a Thai cabinet resolution in 1962, which asks that the watershed lines be the borderline.

If the World Heritage Committee under Unesco agrees to register the temple, shops and structures built by Cambodians in the disputed area must be cleared for a joint management zone with Thailand. Then the burden will be on the Cambodian government to get its people out of the area. This can be called a win-win situation for Thailand rather than a loss to the country, as some have tried to label the agreement.

[GWR]

Thai FM seeks temple reservoir, stair status as World Heritage site

BANGKOK, June 22 (TNA) -- Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Sunday he planned to seek cabinet approval on applying for the reservoir and staircases leading to Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.

Speaking on radio, Mr. Noppadon said he would submit documents related to the stream and the staircases to the Thai cabinet and then request the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which meets in Canada July 2-10 to consider listing the two places as Thai territory at the World Heritage site.

Sra Trao or Huay Trao is a stream reservoir running through the bedrock foundations on the plain at the foot of Preah Vihear, before it sinks into a subterranean tunnel reinforced by rock walls.

The Phnom Penh government will apply for registration of the ancient temple itself as a World Heritage site during the upcoming UNESCO meeting as both Thailand and Cambodia signed a joint communique Wednesday endorsing the Cambodian application.

Defending his position that the statement would not give away Thai territory, Mr. Noppadon said the delay in seeking registration of the reservoir and the staircases as the World Heritage site arose because he has been foreign minister only four months and has to solve immediate problems first.

The Thai foreign minister said he had discussed his plan with the Cambodian government, which had no objection.

However, Mr. Noppadon said UNESCO may not be able to consider the request of the Thai government at next month's meeting due to time constraints, but he said it is nonetheless better to apply first and let the organisation's committee consider the application later. (TNA)

Political News : Last Update : 15:07:26 22 June 2008 (GMT+7:00)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=4874

[Yappofloyd]

I find myself in the invidious position of actually agreeing with the PM on this!

PREAH VIHEAR - 'No approval needed' for heritage bid SARITDET MARUKATAT Bkk Post 23/06/08

The joint statement by Thailand and Cambodia backing Phnom Penh's bid to put Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage list did not need approval from parliament, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday.

Mr Samak used his weekly national television address to explain the issue for the first time, saying the document attached to a map showing the boundary of the temple could be approved by the government. ''Article 190 cannot be applied to this,'' he said. The article states any treaty or agreement affecting Thai boundaries and sovereignty must be passed through parliament.

Mr Samak said the decision to ask the World Heritage Committee, which is under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), to approve the temple for listing was ''Cambodia's business''. Thailand only wanted to make sure the 4.6-square-kilometre area which both countries claim was excluded from the Cambodian plan, he added.

Some senators opposing the position had demanded the government get parliamentary approval for the statement, citing the consequences of the decision on future demarcation talks on the overlapping area between Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear. Krit Kraichitti, the director-general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, said the joint statement was not a treaty because it only demonstrated support for the Cambodian bid.

''Preah Vihear is under Cambodian sovereignty and on Cambodian soil,'' the Foreign Ministry official said. The department has sole responsibility for all treaties and agreements affecting Thailand. Despite different opinions on the joint statement, it could not be defined as a document affecting Thailand's sovereignty and borderlines, he said.

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An signed the joint statement on Tuesday, soon after cabinet endorsement. ''The Thai support on this issue is Thailand's political will. It has nothing to do with the treaty,'' Mr Krit said.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has used the Preah Vihear issue to attack the government. Its leaders urged the prime minister to stop the move to register the temple by Cambodia, saying it should not be a unilateral effort by Phnom Penh. They criticised the prime minister for admitting that the temple belonged to Cambodia.

[Wisarut]

For the case of Khao Phwavuiharn issue, eeven Ajarn Srisak Wanliphodom have been ATTACKED sicne he focuses TOO MUCh on the historical and cultural dimension ... without takign the local sentiment into account.

http://www.manager.co.th/QOL/ViewNew...=9510000073834

PAD has pointed out that Strongman Sarit NEVER FULLY accept the ruling of International Court on Khao Phrawiharn Issue at all.
http://www.komchadluek.net/2008/06/2...news_id=208430

Khao Prhaviharn and Temasek, the different thigns whcih have similar content
http://www.oknation.net/blog/chakkri.../06/22/entry-3

PAD demonstration has compelled Cambodia to Shut down the access to Khao phrawiharn from Tahi side.
http://thaiinsider.info/portal/content/view/9164/12/

[Yappofloyd]

A wise move to close the border but it seems some escalation is still likely while this issue is used for nationalistic and anit-govt purposes. I queried some time ago whether or not an increasingly desperate PM would exploit this issue, via deploying armed forces, to garner populist support - a scenario though still some time away but which is looking more possible by the day.

Cambodia closes Preah Vihear - Fears Thai protests will spill over the border POST REPORTERS Bkk Post 24/06/08
Cambodia closed the Preah Vihear ruins yesterday amid worries Thai protests over Phnom Penh's plan to propose the ancient temple for World Heritage listing will spill across the border.

The issue was a major point raised during yesterday's general debate by senators who attacked Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government for supporting the Cambodian move. Outside the parliament, opponents plan to ask the Administrative Court today to nullify the cabinet's endorsement of Cambodia's map of Preah Vihear and a joint declaration to be presented to Unesco.

Senator Kamnoon Sitthisamarn will lead protestors to petition the court. M.R. Priyanandana Rangsit, deputy chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, will also hand a protest letter to the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in Bangkok. The letter signed by 300 elite and socially recognised people calls on the UN agency not to accept the temple as a World Heritage site.

The government on June 17 approved the new map drawn by Cambodia, which defines the temple's boundary to be proposed to the World Heritage Committee during its meeting in Quebec starting on June 2, placing it inside Cambodia. Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama also signed a joint statement with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, supporting the application, soon after Bangkok agreed to the map. The closure of the temple came after Cambodian officials held talks to assess the situation.

About 200 Thai protesters gathered near the temple yesterday. Many of them had completed a 110-km walk protesting against Phnom Penh's move. The group began the "Dharma Walk" in Muang Si Sa Ket and arrived in Kantharalak district, which adjoins the temple, on Sunday. Their demonstration near Preah Vihear added to the worries of Cambodian officials, who in recent weeks have seen growing protests in Thailand against the listing of the temple. Cambodian officials said the temple, known as Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, will reopen to tourists when the protest rally ends.

Protest leader Saman Sri-ngam warned the protest would continue "until we get our Khao Phra Viharn back and expel Cambodian villagers who have encroached on the Thai border." They sang the Thai national anthem and a patriotic song Rao Su (We Will Fight) during their rally. Some yelled at Cambodian villagers, demanding they leave the Thai border. A group of monks, led by Phra Maha Boontueng, also joined the rally. They offered prayers in support of the protesters.

A Thai military source said the army had been informed of the closure of Preah Vihear, but had not contacted Phnom Penh on the issue. The source said some officers agreed with the protest over the encroachment by Cambodians who built shops and other structures. "The villagers well know that the area belongs to Thailand, but past governments have done nothing about it," the source said.

In the Senate debate, Phetchaburi Senator Sumol Sutawiriyawat roundly criticised the government over its handling of the Preah Vihear issue, including the failure to jointly propose the listing of the ancient temple as a World Heritage site with Cambodia. In his defence, Mr Samak insisted Thailand will not lose any territory to Cambodia by approving the Cambodian map and the joint statement. He stressed the temple is inside Cambodia, as a result of the International Court of Justice's ruling in 1962, and criticised those trying to stir up people to try and reclaim it.

Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda has reacted to the Preah Vihear issue in a short reply to a letter sent to him on Thursday calling on the government and civic groups to help protect Thai territory. It was handed to him by chief adviser to the Supreme Command Gen Pathompong Kesornsuk. The letter said approval of the new map of Preah Vihear would lead to legal complications when Thailand and Cambodia hold talks on the overlapping areas along their border in the future. In his reply on June 21 Gen Prem replied the move "is a way to return a favour to the nation".

[Yappofloyd]

Hopefully some influence will prevail on the PAD not to misuse this issue.

PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE PAD urged not to stir up nationalism ANUCHA CHAROENPO Bkk Post 24/06/08
Academics yesterday urged the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to stop politicising the Preah Vihear temple issue, saying it has provoked nationalism that may sour relations between Thailand and Cambodia.


Suthachai Yimprasert, an historian from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts, warned of nasty consequences from the PAD attacking the People Power party-led government over the issue. ''The Preah Vihear issue isn't related to local politics. Don't try to politicise it and stir up public hatred of the government. That's not right,'' said the historian, who added that nationalism is hard to control and dangerous. Mr Suthachai said the PAD's core leaders realised the Preah Vihear issue gave momentum to the rallies which started on May 25. But politicising the issue also put the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia in jeopardy, he added.

The PAD's core leaders have challenged the decision of the Samak Sundaravej government to endorse Cambodia's bid to register the Hindu temple as a World Heritage site. They are suspicious that the move would benefit former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is planning a huge investment deal with the Cambodian government. The PAD leaders claim that endorsing the Cambodian bid to have the temple listed would destroy any chance Thailand had of reclaiming the temple ruins from Cambodia in the future.

However, Mr Suthachai said he has closely monitored the issue and found ''nothing irregular'' with Thailand's decision to back Cambodia as it is the real owner of the temple following the International Court of Justice's ruling in 1962. He did not think Thailand would lose any territory, especially in the 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping land, adding that the Survey Department and the army did not object to the new map, an indication that no territory was lost.

[Yappofloyd]

Puea Pandin may pull out of govt overtemple issue - Proper explanation is needed, says the party Bkk Post 24/06/08
The Puea Pandin party may pull out of the coalition government if the People Power party (PPP) fails during the censure debate today to explain its speedy support of Cambodia's attempt to list the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.

A source in Puea Pandin said party executives and MPs held a meeting yesterday and party chairman Vatana Asavahame ordered the party to pull out if the PPP could not defend its actions on Preah Vihear because it was an important issue for the nation. ''Ministers of the [Puea Pandin] party admitted to the meeting that there were attempts to rush the issue through the cabinet while no one else was aware of the information and facts concerned. ''The foreign minister claimed it was classified even though it obviously concerns national sovereignty and security under article 190 of the constitution,'' said the source.

The article requires the government to organise public hearings and seek parliamentary approval before signing any international agreements that may affect national sovereignty. However, last week Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama won cabinet approval to support Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a World heritage site. This came after the armed forces agreed to the new map proposed by Cambodia.

Mr Noppadon categorised the agreement to support the Cambodian side as a joint communique, not an international treaty which requires parliamentary endorsement. Still, critics note the agreement will revoke Thailand's right to reclaim the ancient temple if new evidence comes to light after the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Cambodia's ownership of the temple in 1962.

Puea Pandin spokesman Chaiyos Jiramethakorn admitted yesterday that the issue concerned his party. So far, the details of the agreement have not been publicised, although the issue concerns national sovereignty which MPs must join forces and do their best to protect, he said. ''All politicians should prioritise issues that concern national sovereignty. The Puea Pandin party MPs will listen to the government's explanation before making a decision,'' he said, referring to the vote by Puea Pandin MPs after the debate.

Puea Pandin has 24 votes in the House, while the six-party coalition has a total of 316 votes. The Democrats, the sole opposition party, have 164. The debate is scheduled to be held from this afternoon until tomorrow. Banharn Silpa-archa, leader of the coalition Chart Thai party, confirmed yesterday that his party would remain in the coalition with the PPP and stay in the national administration.

Mr Banharn ruled out the possibility of the five other coalition parties defecting to the Democrats to form a new government. He told reporters that Chart Thai, Puea Pandin, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, Pracharaj, Matchimathipataya and the Democrats would have a total of only 244 votes, only four more than half the total number of seats in the House of 480, which would not be enough to form a strong government. With this number of votes, there would be a risk of factions rebelling, said Mr Banharn.

PPP spokesman Kuthep Saikrachang pointed out yesterday that the Democrats were grilling only PPP ministers and it hoped that the five other coalition partners would defect to it. He said the Democrats would be disappointed. Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaibul said yesterday that the censure debate would at least prompt a cabinet reshuffle and possibly radical change.

The Preah Vihear temple, the economic doldrums and the leasing plan for 6,000 new air-conditioned public buses, which has been approved by the cabinet, are among the crucial issues up for debate. The Democrats will grill Mr Samak, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Mr Noppadon, Transport Minister Santi Prompat, Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri, Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat and Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung.