PAD urges boycott of World Heritage meet

Preah Vihear proposal 'could lead to land loss'

via Khmer NZ

Published: 24/07/2010

The yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy is calling on the government to boycott attending a World Heritage Committee meeting.

Key People’s Alliance for Democracy figures, from left, Piphob Dhongchai, Sondhi Limthongkul, Panthep Puapongpan and Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang urge the government to drop a plan to attend the Unesco World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil. APICHART JINAKUL

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti has taken a Thai delegation to attend the 34th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage Committee, starting tomorrow in Brazil.

As Thailand is among the WHC's 21 commissioners, its absence from the meeting would result in a postponement of the committee's consideration of a controversial Cambodian item on the Preah Vihear temple, said key PAD figure Sondhi Limthongkul.

Cambodia is expected to propose a management plan for the Preah Vihear temple and its buffer zone.

See also: Suwit leaves for temple talks

The proposal also concerns Thailand because it opposes Cambodia's plan on the grounds that sovereignty over the buffer zone, the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area claimed by both countries, has not been settled.

Preah Vihear has been on Unesco's World Heritage list since 2008.

"If the committee acknowledges Cambodia's plan, it is only a matter of time before Thailand loses the disputed land, and this government will be to blame," said Mr Sondhi.

The government should express its stance against the listing of the Preah Vihear temple by ordering Mr Suwit to stay away from the meeting, he said.

Mr Sondhi said the PAD would again ask the Abhisit Vejjajiva government to take further action against the listing of the temple as a World Heritage site.

The Administrative Court has ruled to revoke the Thai-Cambodian communique which former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama signed in support of the temple listing but Mr Abhisit had yet to do anything about the court's ruling, said Mr Sondhi.

The communique is believed to have been a major factor leading to the World Heritage site listing of the ancient Hindu temple.

If the WHC meeting was favourable to Cambodia's proposal, PAD would lodge a complaint with the Administrative Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to seek legal action against the people responsible.

The PAD would call a public forum against the government for causing the country to lose territory, he said.

Any Unesco committee endorsement of Cambodia's proposal to develop the disputed land would cost Thailand not only that 4.6 sq km of land, but also a further loss of 1.5 million rai of border land and beaches, said Mr Sondhi.

Piphob Dhongchai, another key PAD figure, said the government should respect the Administrative Court's ruling on the joint communique.