Built more than 800 years ago, the Preah Vihear temple sits on a mountain straddling Cambodia and Thailand, and is a destination for pilgrims of many faiths. [Reuters]Radio Australia
Fri Jun 13, 2008
With just one month to go before Cambodia submits an application for World Heritage listing for another of its magnificent temples, an ongoing border dispute with Thailand threatens to undermine the process.
Built more than 800 years ago, the Preah Vihear temple sits on a mountain straddling Cambodia and Thailand, and is a destination for pilgrims of many faiths.
The Preah Vihear temple is also part of an ongoing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia,
Thai archaeologist and anthropologist Professor Srisakra Vallibhotama has told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program the dispute dates back to its status during French occupation.
"That place is no mans land," he said.
"It belongs to neither Cambodia or Thai. Because the border was created by the colonial period, the border created by the French.
"The International Court of Justice recognised Cambodian claims over the temple in 1962, a decision Thailand accepted.
In recent years, however, Cambodia's unilateral efforts to have the temple and surrounds World Heritage listed, have caused concern in Bangkok, with Thailand saying maps drawn by Cambodian officials show a border encroaching on Thai territory.
Following revision, the dispute was supposedly settled at senior government level last year, but World Heritage efforts were again plunged into limbo following a similar dispute earlier this year.
Tharapong Srisuchat, the director of Thailand's Ministry of Culture's archaeology department, says Bangkok doesn't oppose Cambodia's efforts to have the temple World Heritage listed, as long as it's done fairly:
"By policy of Thai government we support that temple Preah Vihear be the World Heritage, Thai government support it," he said.
"But we have to investigate about the how to management that area."
The management of the border, and how it's represented on a map, is expected to be a key part of a submission to the United Nation's Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's assessment in August.
Fri Jun 13, 2008
With just one month to go before Cambodia submits an application for World Heritage listing for another of its magnificent temples, an ongoing border dispute with Thailand threatens to undermine the process.
Built more than 800 years ago, the Preah Vihear temple sits on a mountain straddling Cambodia and Thailand, and is a destination for pilgrims of many faiths.
The Preah Vihear temple is also part of an ongoing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia,
Thai archaeologist and anthropologist Professor Srisakra Vallibhotama has told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program the dispute dates back to its status during French occupation.
"That place is no mans land," he said.
"It belongs to neither Cambodia or Thai. Because the border was created by the colonial period, the border created by the French.
"The International Court of Justice recognised Cambodian claims over the temple in 1962, a decision Thailand accepted.
In recent years, however, Cambodia's unilateral efforts to have the temple and surrounds World Heritage listed, have caused concern in Bangkok, with Thailand saying maps drawn by Cambodian officials show a border encroaching on Thai territory.
Following revision, the dispute was supposedly settled at senior government level last year, but World Heritage efforts were again plunged into limbo following a similar dispute earlier this year.
Tharapong Srisuchat, the director of Thailand's Ministry of Culture's archaeology department, says Bangkok doesn't oppose Cambodia's efforts to have the temple World Heritage listed, as long as it's done fairly:
"By policy of Thai government we support that temple Preah Vihear be the World Heritage, Thai government support it," he said.
"But we have to investigate about the how to management that area."
The management of the border, and how it's represented on a map, is expected to be a key part of a submission to the United Nation's Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation's assessment in August.
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