Saturday, 20 December 2008

Thai people urged Sisaket residents to demand the re-opening of the gate to Preah Vihear temple

The monks marching toward the gate of Preah Vihear temple.

Reaksmei Kampuchea newspaper
18th December, 2008

Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Because the gate to Preah Vihear temple has been closed for a few months which has caused disruptions to the livelihood of traders in Sisaket, the Thai foreign Ministry has organised a meeting to push for the quick re-opening of the Preah Vihear temple.

According to the reports by the Thai media on the 17th of December, the meeting took place in Sisaket province on the 16th of December. The meeting’s participants include Thai officials, Sisaket traders, experts as well as many Sisaket residents have expressed their concerns about the impacts on the livelihood of the local residents after the gate to Preah Vihear temple was closed after the Thai invasion of Preah Vihear areas on the 15th of July, 2008.

According to the above source, the Thai Foreign Ministry officials urged the Sisaket residents to push the new government for a quick re-opening of the Preah Vihear gate.

In the past, the Sisaket traders and tourist operators have urged the Thai government to help push for the quick re-opening of the Preah Vihear gate. They said that since the closure of the gate, their livelihood has been greatly impacted. Sisaket governor has also pushed for the re-opening of the Preah Vihear gate.

The same source said that the chairman of the Sisaket Development Coordination Committee has urged the Thai government to continue to maintain Thai troops in the Preah Vihear areas until the border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand have been resolved. Officials from Sisaket province said that Thailand must maintain Thai troops their until they are able to evict the Khmer people from the staircase of the Preah Vihear temple as they have demanded.

The officials from the Thai foreign Ministry said that they will convey the messages of the Sisaket people to the meeting of the Foreign Ministry and compile a report to submit to the new prime minister and the cabinet to make the decision.

On the same day, there were about 44 Buddhist monks holding a Dharmayietra march to the gate of the Preah Vihear temple. Among the 44 Buddhist monks, there were 8 foreign monks who have been canvassed to join the march.

Sisaket authority said that the Thai monks as well as the foreign monks have presented the image of the Buddha to the Thai troops based around the Preah Vihear areas.

After the Dharmayietra, those monks will travel to Bangkok to urge the Thai government to resolve the Preah Vihear issues.

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