Thailand to oppose heritage listing
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said that Thailand will oppose the World Heritage Committee on its listing of Preah Vihear temple on the Thai Cambodia border as a world heritage site. A cabinet meeting which took place on 16th June assigned Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti to lodge the objection at a World Heritage Committee meeting against the United Nations for Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which had granted the ancient temple World Heritage Site status.
The Prime Minister said that the listing announced in July 08 was contrary to UNESCO’s regulations and spirit since it created a dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Thailand withdrew its support for its listing last year when the Democratic Party feared a loss of Thailand sovereignty over areas near the temple.
Thai ministry had reminded UNESCO in March of this year that only the main building of the Preah Vihear temple was in scripted as a World Heritage Site where the UN and the World Heritage Committee could work.
The wider promontory, cliff and cave were not included which means that UN officials could not pass through these areas without permission.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand claims surrounding areas. The disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres has not been demarcated.