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Thailand may quit UN body over temple issue

Uzbekistan News.Net
Thursday 29th July, 2010 (IANS)

Thailand has threatened to withdraw from the UN's World Heritage Committee if it approves a Cambodian management plan for an 11th-century Hindu temple straddling the two countries' border.

The Unesco World Heritage Committee was due to rule on the plan Thursday at a meeting in Brazil.

The temple, known in Cambodia as Phra Viharn and as Preah Vihear in Thailand, has been a bone of contention between Cambodia and Thailand for decades.

The International Court of Justice in 1962 ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but failed to rule on adjacent land, leading to decades of tension and border troop skirmishes in late 2008.

Successive Thai governments have claimed the disputed area as belonging to the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket.

'If Unesco accepts the (Cambodian) plan, it will create a wide rift between the people of the two countries,' the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying at a cabinet meeting Wednesday.

Abhisit was quoted as saying his government would veto the plan and 'consider withdrawing as a world heritage member'.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Tuaksuban reiterated the government's position Thursday, accusing the UN committee of exacerbating tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.

'If the committee approves the Cambodian plan, we will not participate and will walk out,' he told reporters at Government House. 'The (World Heritage Committee) should avoid creating disputes between nations.'

In addition to the dispute's diplomatic and possible military dimensions, it has become a thorny political problem for the Thai leader.

Ultra-nationalist leaders have seized on the border dispute, urging the government to take a tough line in rejecting Cambodia's management of the area around the temple.

Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, and some 700 followers Tuesday protested against the Cambodian plan at the UNESCO office in Bangkok.

The protest, held in defiance of an emergency decree prohibiting political gatherings of more than five people, broke up peacefully after UN officials agreed to forward the group's demands to the world heritage meeting in Brasilia.

The emergency decree was aimed at followers of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who held a series of rallies in April and May that led to clashes and a military crackdown that killed 90 people.

Leaders of the anti-government, pro-Thaksin movement said the government's failure to suppress Tuesday's demonstration or prosecute its organisers were indications of its double standard in applying the emergency law.

 

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Comments on this story

TT
07-29-10, 10:36 AM

Thailand may quit UN body over temple issue

The border between countries was draw up by France who ruled Cambodia for long time by took Cambodia from Thailand. Cambodia was part of Thailand because expanding of Siam (Thailand) in the 1600. Normally when any one draws the border line they draw the top of the mountain if there is mountain on the line. If you look at the map you see that France was cheating by draw the line around the area of Pra viharn. Why does France map being adopted by UN anyway? The American does not agree with it? France is known to be trouble maker for century, and they are not very honest people as every know. They start many wars by at the end American have to bell them out. Mean while Cambodian was killing they own people in the 1970 to 1980 for over 3,000,000 people the kill anyone who have any education, cultural, and destroy many of documents. We are not so sure that Cambodian even understand their history or have any accurate record of their history. They are just lost background people. The history of the weak king of Cambodia los the war to Siam many time even time the they came in to rob Siam while out King was out on other war, and that why Thai will never truss Cambodia.

maple
07-29-10, 11:30 AM

opinion by people of the world

I do not agree with this idea. I think have way this be better . Thailand must progress.
I always be loyal to Thailand

Khmer Pride
07-29-10, 12:51 PM

Respond to TT

A typical hard-headed Thais you are.

To all:

Please if you want to know the truth, do some research by reading the Khmer and Thai’s (Siam) history and the history of Preah Vihear.

The Khmer Empire stretched across modern day Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Thais and Viet ambitions (historical and now) is to swallow Cambodia. There wouldn’t be Cambodia left if it weren’t for the French.

Anonymous
07-29-10, 02:21 PM

About the Temple:

The author of this article wrote it wrong.
In Cambodia they call the Temple: Preah Viheah
In Thailand they call the Temple: Prah Viharn.

spk
07-29-10, 02:36 PM

To: All

This is a Cambodian Temple. For a long time, if the Thai want to claim as theirs why Not do it long, long time ago. The Thai just want it in this past 2 years ago. Very a SHAME on them. Why don’t Thai claim it when Pol Pot was alive? Why don’t Thai claim it befoe Pol Pot when Lon Nol was alive? Lon Nol was allied
with the U.S. too. at that time. The WORLD had KNOWN it as PREAH VIHEAR belong to Cambodia long time ago, not Thailand’s new name Prah Viharn... you guys are very funny. Don’t make Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Burma angry too much. Vietnam will join the IndoChina too.

LoveThailand
07-29-10, 08:15 PM

Joint control or none

Let both Cambodia and Thailand jointly manage the site. This is the only fair way to deal with this situation. The UN is supposed to help nations live with each other in peace not start wars. Their must be joint control or no control by either. Possibly the UN could control the site but to cite ownership to either will cause war and continued hostilities between the two neighborers. This is earth and the transfer is important to both sides. Provide a fair and equatable solution not siding with one or the other or stay out of their business.

We want peace not war!

LaosbodiaBurmalays
07-29-10, 10:59 PM

TO: EVERYONE TO SEE WHO ARE THE THIEVES!!!

I think if Cambodia Join the site, Cambodia would be the stupid people on Earth. Why don’t let Cambodia and Thailand join and manage the site of Bang kok? The Thai took so much LANDS from CAMBODIA, LAOS, and MALAYSIA. For a long, long time ago why don’t Thai claim Preah Vihear as yours? You guys are the NEW GENERATION (just grew up in the past 10 or 15 years AGO) now you are 25, 35, 45 are very too young and think BIG, huh!! why don’t you invade the Whole CAMBODIA? the whole LAOS? the whole BURMA? AND the whole MALAYSIA? Here I do the Research FROM THE INTERNET for you guys - if you Thais READ: (Thai Land, or Siam)- (Thai Land World War II).
Thailand Table of Contents:
Thailand responded pragmatically to the military and political pressures of World War II. When sporadic fighting broke out between Thai and French forces along Thailand’s eastern frontier in late 1940 and early 1941, Japan used its influence with the Vichy regime in France to obtain concessions for Thailand. As a result, France agreed in March 1942 to cede 54,000 square kilometers =18,000 square miles of Laotian territory west of the Mekong River and most of the Cambodian province of Battambang to Thailand. The recovery of this lost territory and the regime’s apparent victory over a European colonial power greatly enhanced Phibun’s reputation.
You see HOW BIG you THAI got ALL THESE LANDS FROM !!! YOU ALL ARE TOO YOUNG, JUST GREW UP THE OTHER DAY — AND THINK TOO BIG, ASHAME ON YOU GUYS OR GALS. Trust me - MAKING FRIENDS IS BETTER THAN MAKING ENEMIES.

LaosbodiaBurmalays
07-29-10, 11:23 PM

TO: TT

YOU ARE SO WRONG. YOU TALK ON YOUR COMMENTS ARE ALL LIES. YOUR ENGLISH AND YOUR GRAMMERS ARE VERY BAD. YOU DON’T HAVE GOOD EDUCATION AT ALL. PLEASE, STOP WRITING AND GET BACK TO SCHOOL TO GET SOME EDUCATION BEFORE YOU COME BACK HERE TO POST SOME COMMENTS AGAIN, MAN. THE SAME TO YOU TOO - LoveThailand.

FTT
07-29-10, 11:30 PM

TT

What you are saying came from your uneducated opinion. YOU WILL END UP STAYING UNDER THE TEMPLE 13 MILES DOWN. Be sad lobster headed mice.

huh
07-30-10, 12:25 AM

huh again

Well it is interesting to see the two sides of the story from people in the area. But i do agree that both sides should share the temple because it would help build a good relationship between Thailand and Cambodia. It is sad to see two countries losing young men fighting over dirt and rocks just because neither side wants to give an inch.

LaosbodiaBurmalays
07-30-10, 12:52 AM

To: huh again you are Thai

No man, go get your Education before you come back here to post more comments AGAIN. The Cambodian People don’t agree to share their land to the thieves' Thais. Please don’t beg again. All surrounded countries know about you bad boys. The Surrounded COUNTRIES don’t care IF YOU THAIS QUIT U.N. BODY OR WHATEVER YOU SAID. YOU HAVE PLANES OR SHIPS OR WHATEVER, BUT YOU KNOW, THAIS DON’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE ALL THAT STUFFS. LIFE IS SHORT AND ALL THOSE THAT YOU HAVE WILL EXPIRE TOO. YOU NEED A LOT MORE AND MORE MONEY TO BUY IT AGAIN. DON’T THINK THAT YOU HAVE F-16 OR WHATEVER. IF YOU ARE SMART YOU CAN MAKE THE F-16 IN THAILAND YOUSELF.

LaosBodiaBurmalays
07-30-10, 01:11 AM

huh again you're Thai

HEY, THE THAI’S F-16 COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE CAMBODIAN’S SHOULDER MISSIL COSTS ABOUT $100 FROM CHINA OR MAYBE FREE FROM CHINA CAN BLOW UP THE F-16 OR WHATEVER IT IS EASILY INTO PIECES. BE PREPARE THE CAMBODIANS ARE ON THE HILL, THAIS ARE ON THE HELL DOWN BELOW CAMBODIANS 100 MILES AWAY. THINK IT TWICE BEFORE YOU COME VISIT CAMBODIA AGAIN.

BIG BOY USA
07-30-10, 01:57 AM

TO: THE AUTHOR OF Thailand News.Net

The Author of Thailand News.Net is so dumb ass too. All of you need to get a very good EDUCATION.
Look:
The Cambodian People call their temple: Preah Vihear (Not Prah Viharn). Don’t try to twist it around. The Thai themselves call the temple Prah Viharn (Not Preah Vihear).

TT
07-30-10, 10:29 AM

Because your countries were weak, and all of you belong to Thai until the western took over. Thailand never was any westerner colony. I don’t care much about English because it not our languets. Why? It’s because we never belong to them like yours country. So keep good English because you have to.

KhmerPride
07-30-10, 05:01 PM

"LoveThailand" and "huh"

Scenerio:

“I’m going to your house, in the meantime I will ask you to share your room with me. If you don’t share, I’ll make war with you."

Does this make any freaking sense to you? I would take it as a threat!

To Thais people:

Whatever interpretations you have about the Khmer people which your country has taught you is mostly false.

My mom told me when Cambodia was at peace, in the late 1960’s, Thais people from Thailand would have “Kathen ceremony” in our pogoda in Battambang province. This is an annual gathering. It would be nice to see this again in our lifetime.

True nationalism is good in either country, false nationalism base on false informations and assumptions is very dangerous!

BIG BOY USA
07-30-10, 05:47 PM

TO: TT and YOUR GROUP OF THAIS THIEVES.

Hey, hey, hey, hey hey! ! ! YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THAI, CAMBODIA, LAOS, BURMA,MALAYSIA. THAI IS THE ONLY COUNTRY WHICH STOLE EVERYBODY’S LANDS TO MAKE IT THEIR LAND AND THE SAME LIKE TODAY (YES, YES, YES CAMBODIAN PEOPLE ARE WEAK AND THE THAIS TRY TO STEAL THE LAND AGAIN IN THIS 21 CENTURY, YES YOU’RE RIGHT - KHMERS ARE WEAK, THAIS ARE STRONG, THAIS ARE THIEVES AND WERE CAUGHT STEALING KHMER’S LAND ON LAND MINES AND WHAT HAPPENED, Huh, huh, the SURROUNDING COUNTRIES WERE LAUGHING TOO “BLEW UP YOURSELVES IN THE LAND MINES” FIELD. YOU THAIS ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE CHINESE THIEVES WHICH THE GOOD CHINESE KICKED YOU OUT FROM CHINA LONG TIME AGO. YOU ALL CAME HERE TO SOUTHEAST ASIA FOR A PLACE TO STAY AND DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A REAL LANGUAGE TOO, ALL THE TIME THAI STEAL LANGUAGE FROM CAMBODIA AND LAOS. LOOK AT YOUR THAIS MONEY HAS KHMER NUMERIC ON IT TOO. SO HOW MANY MORE CENTURIES ARE THAIS GOING TO CHANGE AND MAKE YOUR OWN NUMERIC NUMBERS??? THE LETTERS WERE ALSO STOLEN FROM LAOS AND CAMBODIA ALSO TO MAKE YOUR OWN LETTERS TOO. WELL....IN THIS ARTICLE I THINK Mr. ABHISIT DOES THE RIGHT THING. HE IS VERY EDUCATED. I SAW Mr. ABHISIT SHOOK HANDS WITH HUN SEN, WITH LAOS, WITH VIETNAM, AND A FEW OTHER LEADERS TOO. HE KNOWS ABOUT THE UNEDUCATED THAIS DID SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY WRONG. AND YOU KNOW WHAT! THAIS HAVE ABOUT 50 MILLIONS PEOPLE RIGHT, CAMBODIA ONLY 13 MILLIONS PEOPLE NOW, BUT THEY WILL GO FOR A BROKE. IT IS DEPENDS ON HOW YOU FIGHT NOT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE. AND TRUST ME VIETNAM AND LAOS WILL JOIN CAMBODIA TOO, BUT FIRST THEY WILL SIT, DRINK BEERS, AND WATCH...Huh, huh, BECAUSE THEY KNOW CAMBODIA WILL WIN THE WAR VERY EASILY. I WILL JOIN MY PEOPLE IN CAMBODIA TOO WHEN THEY NEED ME. NOW, YOU DO THE RESEARCHes ON THE INTERNET TO SEE HOW MANY CAMBODIANS LIVE AROUND THE WORLD!!! THEY WILL GO AND FIGHT THE THAIS TOO LIKE ME.

World Traveling Tourists
07-31-10, 01:04 PM

Thailand Economy

Thailand used to be the #1 country in Flight around the World in Southeast Asia. But since they are SO RACISTS, the FLIGHT ECONOMY had dramatically dropped down to about 50% of what it is today.

Anonymous
08-10-10, 10:51 AM

It’s time to kick Cambodian ass out of our land. We already agree to give you the temple, but the land is ours. 4.5 sq kilos, get out!!
For the Big boy USA. The reason Cambodia is all around the world is because in the 80’s you have not land to live “you guy were Killing each other” over 3 million Cambodians death by the hand of Kramer Rutt and now your PM was one of them. They kill all educated people then. What Cambodian have now is a lot of stupid people left, right? Cambodian always has bad choice of leader that way they were always weak, and lose all the lands. Now Cambodia is even smaller than Leo’s. What the stupid country. Come on!! We know that many Cambodian want to be Thai because we know the Cambodian in Long beach CA always tell American that they are Thai. They lie just not to be calling Cambodian. Let us take over Cambodia, and make us one strong country because we have money, education, technology, system to help develop your country. My friend went to Angkor Wat and they said There is not thing there, it should have been develop to be a tourist attraction with a lot of income producer by now, but Cambodian only get small amount from American or UNESCO. Again the western is making money off your historical suite. Is that smart?


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