World Heritage Site Designation Leads to Thai Cambodian Bickering
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday that Thailand will request the World Heritage Committee to review the judgment to register Preah Vihear temple, on the border of Si Sa Ket province, as a World Heritage site under the sole administration of Cambodia,
The World Heritage Committee (WHC), which functions under the sponsorship of Unesco, named Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, as wished-for by Cambodia, and required the Phnom Penh government to set up an International Coordinating Committee to safeguard the temple.
Mr Abhisit revealed that his cabinet on Tuesday determined to submit its call for to this year’s 33rd session of the WHC, which will be held in Seville, Spain, June 22-30.
At the upcoming meeting, Cambodia is expected to report on the state of upkeep of the ancient Khmer temple complex.
Abhisit said that an official group from the Thai world heritage committee, headed by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti will instruct the meeting that the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site had resulted in conflict, and this appears to go against Unesco’s objectives in having heritage sites.
The PM said a World Heritage site is designed to be an area where culture and history are preserved, allowing visitors to see and enjoy them. However, the registration of Preah Vihear had caused problems between the peoples of Thailand and Cambodia.
Mr Abhisit said that Preah Vihear should be administered jointly as a World Heritage site by Thailand and Cambodia.
“I want to see the temple as a peaceful area so that the people of the two countries can jointly benefit from this site of high historical importance,” said Abhisit.
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