Please read the article below and the reactions of our Khmer compatriots to the Thai plan to apply to list the reservoir and staircase leading to the Preah Vihear temple. Like our Khmer compatriots below, I believe that Thailand has set up a trap for Cambodia to agree to list only the temple and then lay claims to the disputed areas, starting with the application to list the staircase and the reservoir. The areas are in disputed zones, so how can Thailand apply to list it? This means that Thailand, while cajoling Cambodia's naive leaders into agreeing to list the temple only would then lay claims to the ownership of the areas. Very cunning. All Khmers should be outraged by this. Please read carefully below.....
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Sunday he planned to ask the cabinet to approve a plan to applying to Unesco for World Heritage Site protection over the reservoir and staircases leading to Preah Vihear temple.
In a radio interview, Mr Noppadon said he would submit documents related to the stream and the staircases to the cabinet.
If ministers approve his plan, he would then request the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation to consider listing the two places as Thai territory and a World Heritage Site when Unesco holds its heritage meeting in Canada July 2-10.
That is the meeting where Cambodia is to apply for - and probably receive - World Heritage Site status for the actual temple, which was declared the possession of Cambodia by the World Court in 1962.
Mr Noppadon has come under attack for helping and effectively backing the Cambodian application. He has spent the past week trying to defend his position that a statement on disputed land around the temple would not compromise Thai claims.
Noppadon said the delay in seeking registration of the reservoir and the staircases as the World Heritage Site arose because he has been foreign minister only four months and had to solve immediate problems first.
He has discussed his plan with the Cambodian government, which had no objection, he said.
It was likely Unesco may not consider any Thai application next week due to time constraints, but he said it is nonetheless better to apply first and let the organisation's committee consider the application later. (TNA)
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Regards,
Official Biographer to H.M. the King Father, Samdech Preah Upayuvareach Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia
Tel/Fax: 61-3-98887950
E-mail:Royal Biographer@gmail.com
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Kenneth So
Aryasatya (Sanskrit)
Chattari Ariyasachchani (Pali)
Chatuk Arey Sachak (Khmer)
The Four Noble Truths (English)
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I need to see the pictures of the reservoir and staircase that they mentioned. In 2005, I went to visit Preah Vihear after I heard of the skirmishes between us and the Thai. I include some pictures that show the entrance gate from Thailand (I assume that what they referred to when they said staircase). It states very clearly that by crossing the small river (reservoir?) we enters in the land of Cambodia. I also include a picture of the road that people have to take if coming from Cambodia. As you can see it's easier to come from Thailand than from Cambodia.
I sent these pictures to His Majesty the King Father after my return in July 2005.
Thanks,
Hann So
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''The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.''
--- Pierre de Coubertin
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Dear all:
We can see that Thailand is playing a big trick on Cambodia by claiming
the stair case and the reservoir as their ownership. If Cambodia respond
improperly by agreeing to what Thailand is asking for, then Cambodia
will lose a big chunk of land surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple or
simply Preah Vihear, known as Phrah Viharn by Thai people. It is is an
ancient temple situated on Preah Vihear Mountain, (known as Khao Phrah
Viharn by Thai).
By judgment as of June 15, 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at
The Hague decided the case and brought the dispute between Thailand and
Cambodia to an end, 46 years ago, recognizing the sovereignty and ownership
of Preah Vihear Temple as Cambodian.
As a close neighbor, Thailand should respect the high spirit of ICJ that Thailand
is bound to keep and maintain good friendly relation with Cambodia.
Mutual respect is long lasting friendship!
Sincerely yours,
Chhang Marith
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Dear MM. Kenneth and Hann So,
Dear all,
In 1966-1967, I was a commander of an intervention squadron of royal police units in Russei, an advanced khmer village located about three kilometers from the foot of Preah Vihear mountain. We closely cooperated with a military batalion based in the same area. Both forces took turns to assure fortnighly the defense of Preah Vihear temple. At that time, the frontier ligne passed just before the first step of the principal staircase. I used to descend that staircase till the first step, to sit on there for a while before climbing up to the long causeway stretching from the principal door gate to the the first temple.
As for the reservoir It was the unique water supply source for all our squadron. My CP (Command Post) was located just a few meters to the east from the reservoir. Because it was our unique water supply source, so I was forced to rationalize the use of water by our squadron to include myself fisrt.
This is to say that during 1966-1967, both the staircase and the reservoir were totally under our contrôl, otherwise of Cambodia. That situation was a logic result of the implementation of the decision of the International Court of Justice of La Haye on Preah Vihear. So, Thailand, with the present unfair demarch (remark?) of its minister of foreign affairs is in flagrant violation of that decision its government had at that time formally recognized.
Regards,
Mey Siphal
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