'Nothing to fear' from heritage meet

25/07/2010 at 12:00 AM

By Piyaporn Wongruang and Thanida Tansubhapol

Source: Bangkok Post

Thailand has nothing to fear from the World Heritage Committee meeting starting today in Brazil, a source says.

The meeting will discuss Cambodia's management plan for Preah Vihear temple and its buffer zone.

Thailand has yet to see the plan, because it has not been distributed to committee members.

However, the source said any decision by the committee to back the plan is unlikely to affect Thailand's territorial dispute with Cambodia over land near the temple.

Preah Vihear has been on Unesco's world heritage list since 2008.

Thailand opposes the plan on the grounds that sovereignty over the buffer zone, the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area claimed by the two countries, has not been settled.

The source, who works on resolving border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia, said endorsement of the management plan would probably have little impact on the territorial dispute.

He cited the World Heritage Convention which says the listing of a world heritage site will not prejudice concerned parties' right to conduct territorial disputes.

The source insists the world heritage work will not affect demarcation work in the area as both sides reached agreements following a memorandum of understanding on demarcation work in 2000.

The work has made little progress so far, because they first need to identify all 73 land pegs running along the Thai-Cambodia border.

"I think we need to study the law so we can deal with the issue better. At the moment, emotions are running too high," the source said.

However, he cautioned about possible encroachments on Thai territory by Cambodia following any plan endorsement.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti sought a meeting with Unesco director-general Irina Bokova on Friday to express Thailand's concern over the Preah Vihear temple issue.

"We would like to affirm our position that the buffer zone management plan should not be carried out until there is clarity over land demarcation," Mr Suwit said before the meeting.

Mr Suwit also leads the Thai delegation to Brazil.

Mr Suwit expressed concern about the delay in distribution of the Cambodian plan to the WHC members.

"The Cambodian side has not let us know anything," he said.

The committee's Thai representative claims she has not received a copy of the plan for review ahead of the meeting.

The committee is made up of representatives from 21 countries, including Thailand and Cambodia.

One member of the Thai delegation said before leaving for the meeting in Brazil that Cambodia's management plan is likely to include the disputed area, as Cambodia wants to develop the site.

However, the Thai delegation will try to veto any committee decision to endorse the plan as it still concerned that it may affect the country's territory, he said.

On July 14, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An updated the Cambodian press about progress in developing the site.

Three roads are being built from the temple to the east, the west, and the northeast, linking Preah Vihear to Kampong Thom, and Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat.

Sok An rejected Thailand's claim to the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area near the temple, saying Thailand was relying on a "secret and mysterious map", which is not recognised internationally.