BANGKOK, July 25 - As the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC) meeting in Brazil starts Sunday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he had ordered Thailand’s to attend the session and to also object to Cambodia’s unilateral management plan for the disputed environs of the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
His order that Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti, leading the Thai delegation to the 34th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural (UNESCO) world heritage committee meeting ending August 3 in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia, came after the Yellow Shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) activist group urged the government to boycott the meeting.
Cambodia is scheduled to submit its management plan expected to include the disputed 4.6-square kilometre overlapping claim area near Preah Vihear temple to the WHC during the meeting.
The PAD also demanded that the Thai government take further action against listing the temple as a World Heritage site.
Mr Abhisit said during his weekly TV and radio address that his government has been following the issue closely and the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs would have to lodge a protest if it is found that its neighbour Cambodia is violating Thai territorial sovereignty.
He said his government would not recognise the Cambodian map expected to be submitted to the WHC during the session, as the 1962 ruling of the International Court of Justice which awarded the 11thcentury Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia did not demarcate the border between the two countries.
The two countries have been locked in nationalist tensions and a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008,
Mr Abhisit said Thailand would not gain anything by boycotting the heritage meeting as the international community would then be able to hear only Cambodia’s explanations on the issue.
If the heritage committee allows Cambodia to apply its proposed management plan, Thailand still has the right to object and has mapped actions to systematically oppose decision, Mr Abhisit said.
He gave assurances to the Thai people that his government will do its best to protect the country’s interests. (MCOT online news)
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