Noppadon: Sovereignty not lost in new Preah Vihear map

(BangkokPost.com) - Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama held a press conference Wednesday, saying that the government's approval of the new map of Preah Vihear that allows Cambodia to propose the temple to Unesco as a World Heritage site does not include the disputed area near the site.

Mr Noppadon insisted that the 4.6 square kilometres of land, which has not been demarcated, was excluded from the new map and that Thailand did not lose any sovereignty.

The new map was drawn by Cambodia.

Cambodia needs backing from Thailand in order to propose the temple to the meeting of Unesco's World Heritage Committee which begins in Quebec on July 2.

He insisted that the government is not benefited from the approval, nor does ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. He, however, admitted that Mr Thaksin has a good relationship with Cambodian prime minister.