Wednesday, 2 July 2008

Thailand withdraws support for Khmer's Preah Vihear Temple

By The Nation

Thai Cabinet on Tuesday agreed to withdraw its support for Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear Temple as a Unesco World Heritage site to be in line with the Administrative Court's order of injunction.

Deputy Prime Somchai Wongsavat said the foreign ministry will inform the Cambodian government and the Unesco of the court's order and the government's resolution.

The Court has issued an injunction on the Thai support for the Cambodia's long-awaited proposal to put the controversy temple in the World Heritage list after People's Alliance for Democracy filed a complaint with the court.

It is still unclear whether Thailand's withdrawal of support for Cambodia will effect Unesco's World Heritage Committee's consideration on the Khmer proposal. Unesco has initially requested that the proposal be submitted only with Thailand's "active support".

Unesco has begun its annual meeting in Canada and Cambodia's proposal of the temple is on the agenda to be considered on July 7.

Somchai declined to say whether the Thai government will appeal the court's oder of injunction.

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