Protest against Preah Vihear temple listing

27 July, 2010
Bangkok Post

Hundreds of activists led by People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) core member Chamlong Srimuang handed a petition to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) office in Bangkok on Tuesday against the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site and against Cambodian efforts to secure management control over the ancient temple.

"I have been following the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil and I'm not confident the Thai government will succeed at the meeting," Maj-Gen Chamlong said.

He said the activists and the PAD members had not planned to gather outside the Unesco office, but this was an urgent matter.

"We are not pressuring Unesco in any way but I cannot confirm whether we will spend a night here as we'll have to monitor the situation for now," he said.

The PAD co-leader said he would not resist if authorities arrest him for violating the emergency decree imposed in the capital.

"After considering the situation, I decide to take a risk because this is about Thailand's territory," he said.

Maj-Gen Chamlong told reporters later that Unesco Bangkok's chief administration officer Edgar Sharuk had informed him that the PAD's petition had been forwarded to the Unesco World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Brazil this week. The committee had acknowledged receipt of the petition.

The PAD leaders would meet to discuss what to do next, he said.

The gathering outside the Unesco office resulted in heavy traffic congestion on Sukhumvit road.

In the afternoon, PAD leaders including Pibhop Thongchai, Panthep Puapongpan and Kamnoon Sitthisaman presented a protest letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at Baan Phitsanulok.

Metropolitan Police officials and Bangkok Municipality personnel were deployed to help people and ensure security at the gathering.

At the annual Unesco meeting on heritage sites this week in Brazil, Cambodia is expected to win management control over the Preah Vehear temple and adjacent areas, a proposal Thailand opposes.

On July 7, 2008, Preah Vihear was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site owned and managed by Cambodia. Thailand has objected and wants it jointly managed by the two countries.

Cambodia is due present its plan for management, preservation and development of the area for confirmation at the World Heritage Committee meeting being held in Brasilia from July 27 to Aug 3.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said recently that Thailand would reject the Cambodian management plan for the preservation of the 11th century temple during the meeting.

Mr Abhisit was reported have said that although Thailand accepted a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice that handed ownership of the temple to Cambodia, it maintained its right to withhold recognition of the 1904 French colonial map upon which the ruling was based.

The ancient Khmer temple is on a promontory at the centre of a disputed border area where troops of the two countries have often clashed.