Thailand takes temple row to UNESCO

Map: Above yellow line is Thailand and below yellow line is Cambodia. Cambodia and Thailand signed a border treaty in 1904. The yellow line was drawn by the 1904 Cambodian-Thai treaty commission. The blue line was drawn by Thailand after it lost the 1962 court case in The Hague.

By Claudette Wereden

Radio Australia

Thailand is appealing to the United Nations cultural organisation to find a solution to its bitter row with Cambodia over an 11th Century temple complex.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has announced his country's heritage committee will ask the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to reconsider a decision giving control of the temple and its surroundings to Cambodia.

The decision has led to clashes between Thai and Cambodian border guards, with seven soldiers killed in the past year.

Thailand will ask a world heritage meeting in Spain this week for the grounds of the Preah Vihear temple to be placed under joint Thai-Cambodian maintenance.

Part of its argument is that most visitors approach the temple complex from the Thai side.

Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn, senior adviser to the Thai Prime Minister's office, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program that Thailand is not blaming Cambodia.

"Most countries, Thailand in particular, are not blaming anything on Cambodia," he said.

"We are just concerned about the role of UNESCO."

Dr Wattanayagorn says UNESCO needs to take responsibility and try to solve the problem.

"The relationship between Thailand and Cambodia was quite normal and stable until UNESCO allowed registration of the temple area - not (the) temple but temple area - to be done unilaterally," he said.

"It is the responsibility, we believe, that UNESCO should attempt to look into this issue closely and help try to solve the problem and try to come up with remedies."

Dr Wattanayagorn said that in areas "that are not clear, in areas that are overlapping ... UNESCO usually recommends the two countries or parties involved to jointly manage or register the areas.".

"We're simply reiterating UNESCO'S rules".

He said Thailand's position still was that the issue is unclear.

"But, of course, the International Court of Justice many decades ago issued a statement and verdict giving Cambodia the right over the temple, but not the temple area," he said.

"So we, as part of the world community, will recognise that verdict".

Cambodia has issued a statement rebuking Thailand for raising the controversial land claim again.