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'Demarcation must precede temple talks'


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Bangkok Post

30 Jul 2010

 

 

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya has submitted a strongly worded letter to World Heritage Committee members outlining Thailand's fierce objections to Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple.

 

The Foreign Ministry also began furious lobbying yesterday for the WHC to postpone consideration of the plan.

 

Deputy permanent secretary for foreign affairs Chittriya Pinthong met with diplomats from 10 countries who sit on the 21-member committee: Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, China, France, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. France, Sweden, Switzerland and Brazil sent their ambassadors to the ministry.

 

[color:red]"As long as the demarcation has not been finished, Thailand cannot cooperate with any decision by the WHC," Mr Kasit said in his letter.[/color]

 

[color:red]He also said Thailand was upset as the WHC appeared not to have realised the sensitivity and importance of the temple issue. Any decision made now on the management plan would raise tensions between the two countries, he said.[/color]

 

"The WHC has also neglected the fact that the management plan for the Preah Vihear temple cannot achieve concrete results and be a success because it has ignored the Thai role in helping preserve the temple," he said.

 

The temple has been listed as a world heritage site since 2008.

 

The Thai lobbying came as Thailand and Cambodia were unable to break their deadlock over the issue in Brasilia, the Brazilian capital serving as the venue for the WHC meeting.

 

Talks between Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, brokered by Brazilian chairman Jao Luiz Silva Ferreira, took place on Wednesday after the WHC adjourned its discussion of Cambodia's management plan for Preah Vihear to allow both countries to try to patch up their differences.

 

In tense 30-minute talks, Sok An told Mr Suwit Cambodia had made compromises with Thailand and it could not make any more changes, a source close to the meeting said.

 

The Cambodian deputy premier stressed that Cambodia's management plan included the eastern part of the temple, but the Thai delegation argued that demarcation of the area had not yet been settled, the source said.

 

The government on Wednesday threatened to withdraw from the WHC if the committee members approved the Cambodian plan.

 

The source said at this stage the option of Thailand giving up its membership of the WHC was not needed.

 

The source said Thailand would make its stand clear by rejecting Cambodia's management plan.

 

If the WHC continued to consider the plan, the delegation would issue a statement denouncing the WHC, saying it had failed to comply with regulations and had allowed Cambodia to submit its management plan late.

 

Cambodia should have handed in its plan six months ahead of the meeting, but it made its submission less than 24 hours before the meeting began.

 

The source said the delegation would walk out if the denunciation failed to change the WHC's mind.

 

The controversy surrounding the Preah Vihear temple area is expected to intensify tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border, even though authorities insist the border situation is relatively calm.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and the leaders of the three armed forces met yesterday to discuss the matter.

 

Mr Suthep faulted the WHC for listing Preah Vihear as a heritage site because it sits next to an overlapping 4.6-square-kilometre zone claimed by the two countries. He said the WHC's listing of the temple triggered the dispute between the neighbours.

 

"The WHC shouldn't be an agency which creates a conflict between two countries," he said.

 

Mr Suthep said the border situation was normal, but the military was prepared and on full alert for any untoward events.

 

"Don't speculate about what they will do. We are just prepared," he said.

 

Gen Prawit said the armed forces had a plan to deal with the border situation. He insisted that joint border committees had been working well.

 

 

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oh man, don't even start. this topic is verboten among the Khmer employees in the office where I work, haha...yeah, the Thais whining and bitching about this issue and lamenting about the limp, short pathetic influential range of their dicks deserve to have said dicks summarily cut off and fed to the ducks, haha...

 

but for those of us who have actually READ ANY MOTHERFUCKING HISTORY know that we have to disregard everything the Thais say (about strange disappearing giants really having built all the ruins they profess--rightly--to be the work of the Khmers' ancestors...well, fuck. yeah, let's bitch-slap each other and wriggle about over stupid Preah Vihear issues.

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Strange how the Thais turn into whining, illogical, self focused morons when seen outside of their own borders.

 

The ruins belong to Cambodia. Issue settled long ago (40-50 years). Thailand never bothered to respond to the original hearings, UN ruled against them. Thai Theory: "If we keep our heads up our asses, then nothing happens". Turns out to be half-right. Something happened: ownership awarded to Cambodia, but Thais still have heads up their own asses.

 

Again, it belongs to Cambodia. Thais should keep their nose out of any management plans- AS THEY WOULD TELL THE WORLD REGARDING ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY BELONGS TO THEM!

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Wow! Some folks really hate the Thais. But everyone knows the Cambodian politicians are men of honour. Just look at Hun Sen.

 

Both countries are playing domestic politics here. Reality: the French colonialists ripped off the Thais in 1908 by deviating from the agreed criteria to place the map on their side of the border. The Cambodians thus inherited it when they regained their independence. The majority of the ICJ decided that Thailand had waited too long to protest and thus had lost the temple.

 

NOBODY IS ARGUING ABOUT THE OWNERSHIP OF THE TEMPLE! The squabble is over a few square kilometers next to the temple. And the only reason they are squabbling at all is domestic politics in each country. Nobody else really gives a shit.

 

 

<< The ruins belong to Cambodia. Issue settled long ago (40-50 years). Thailand never bothered to respond to the original hearings, UN ruled against them. >>

 

This might be more convincing if it were even remotely close to what actually happened. :banghead:

 

Hunt: The UN had nothing to do with it!

 

 

 

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Move it to Arizona and put it next to the London Bridge? Might work ... Hun Sen wants to build a casino on the plains and run a cable car up to the temple ruins as an added attraction. The Cambodians have done fark all to preserve or restore the ruins. Offer him more money! :hmmm:

 

p.s. I hope nobody else gets killed in this stupid dispute. The 4.5 sq km in dispute are nothing but jungle - not worth a single life.

 

 

 

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Simpler than that. I even got CUSSED the FUCK out for proposing it. I may need to write a letter to the editor about it now.

 

Short story, @piece talks with Generals I said, "How about we (The US.) buy it?"

 

"We will buy it for say $3m. We administer it and stick a company of Marines there. We will build you a 1st class road from the Thai side and the Cambodia side to get to it and throw up a good fence. Anyone that wants too can come and pray or whatever and we will open the gates at dawn, close it at sunset. We will settle any trouble and I highly doubt either of you want to take on a company of Marines."

 

My inspiration was the Waqf that keeps the Temple Mound open in Jerusalem for the past 1000 years or so.

 

 

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Bangkok Post

1 August 2010

 

 

The bright yellow washing detergent

 

Opinion by Voranai Vanijaka

 

 

If it looks like a Hindu, if it was built by a Khmer and if it has all the characteristics of a Cambodian - then it must belong to Thailand. But rest assured, the dispute over the 4.6 square kilometre portion of the Preah Vihear temple isn't really about the 4.6 square kilometres.

 

It isn't even about Preah Vihear itself. Therefore, this commentary will not dwell on whom Preah Vihear really belongs to.

 

Though this must be said, people seems to neglect the fact that another World Heritage site, Vihan Phra Mongkolpit in Ayutthaya, may be taken off the World Heritage list by Unesco. The reason is because it's so poorly run that it has become more like a weekend market filled with garbage.

 

And we, Thailand, still have the gall, the audacity, to make claims with the World Heritage Committee?

 

[color:red]But this isn't about Preah Vihear or Vihan Phra Mongkolpit. This is about the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). This is about the New Politics Party.

 

This is about the yellow shirts.[/color]

 

In 2005 when the PAD came out in droves and shook the capital city of Bangkok, they managed to bring the poor and "elites" together.

 

Covered head-to-toe in sunscreen, high society khunyings put on their Gucci sunglasses and donned yellow silk blouses and flowery hats. Umbrellas in hand, they took to the streets with their "prai" counterparts.

 

How was this possible? The PAD's slogans sang to everyone's heartstrings: down with corruption, taking pride in nationalism and - last but not least, in fact, it's definitely the most - protect the royal institution.

 

It was simple political ingenuity. It was brilliant.

 

Suddenly, Thaksin Shinawatra making funny faces during an audience with His Majesty the King became a matter of national controversy.

 

"He made funny faces. He must be a traitor!"

 

"He made funny faces. He must want to bring down the monarchy and become president!"

 

Smack it, wrap it and pack it - the people bought it, hook, line and sinker.

 

If that wasn't enough, there's Preah Vihear - a place many Thais had never even heard of until the PAD mentioned it.

 

Sovereignty. Pride. Nationalism.

 

"That traitor is trading our heritage, our land, our history, for a casino in Koh Kong!"

 

"He's in collusion with a foreign country!"

 

Oh, how that whipped the Thai people into a fury - then and now.

 

I say then and now, because that is the cow that the PAD will milk until it runs dry. But you see, this cow never runs dry, for her name is "pride", "nationalistic pride".

 

Never mind the corruption bit - any old political movement can sing that tune. But nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution? Now that is some strong detergent for a thorough washing of the brain.

 

Do not be surprised that the yellow movement, which has been relatively quiet over the past year, is now making plenty of headlines.

 

They have merely been building their political networks.

 

Do not be shocked that Major General Chamlong Srimuang can led a political gathering of hundreds of people to the Unesco offices in Bangkok - a city under emergency decree where a political gathering of the red shirts would mean a police round-up and into the prison they'd go.

 

But a political gathering of the yellows? Well, here's a newsflash: the emergency decree has been renamed "the Emergency Red Only, with Special Exception to His Excellency Chamlong Srimuang the Untouchable, Decree".

 

Do not even raise an eyebrow that the yellow banners of nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution are flying again.

 

After all, they are now the New Politics Party and Bangkok district elections are coming up.

 

As well, the general election - by all accounts - could be coming as soon as early next year. Not to mention, the Democrat Party might be dissolved by the Constitution Court over alleged illegal donations.

 

Somebody is licking their chops at filling the vacuum.

 

On the Preah Vihear issue, if we were to look at the Thai press we would see columns and articles decrying: "Abhisit is acting too late!"

 

"The government is losing our sovereignty!"

 

"Ignorance and lethargy are causing us to lose our national integrity!"

 

Well, the mind of the media is as easily washed as anyone else's. It is all playing into the hands of the yellow shirts.

 

Naturally, in the past week the prime minister came out swinging hooks and uppercuts about saving the integrity of 4.6 square kilometres near what looks like a Hindu, was built by a Khmer and has all the characteristics of a Cambodian - all of which supposedly stands on Thai soil.

 

Fortunately for the prime minister, victory to Thai pride was hailed and integrity was safe. We managed to get a delay in the decision because we threatened: "We're gonna quit and won't play with you guys anymore! Boo hoo!"

 

At the heart of it, the prime minister didn't have much choice. Failing to act, he may have been branded "a sell-out" or even "a traitor". No politicians, especially ones in government, can afford that.

 

Shouting the slogans of pride, nationalism, sovereignty and the royal institution worked out wonderfully for the yellow shirts four years ago in helping to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra. Today, the same slogans will help to expand their political power.

 

Patriotism is the love of one's country. Nationalism is the vanity of one's country. You see, dear readers, it is not about 4.6 square kilometres. It is not about Preah Vihear.

 

It's about the yellow shirts. It's about the PAD.

 

It's about the New Politics Party making its move to win the Thai people's hearts and minds, and hence our votes, by appealing to that basest of society's instincts - nationalism.

 

 

 

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