Writer: Anchalee Kongrut
Published: 1/07/2011
Bangkok Post
Is it the right decision for Thailand to withdraw from the Unesco's World Heritage Convention? The question will have many answers. For the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the government made the right move. The withdrawal restores national pride and pulled the plug on Cambodia's attempt to claim the disputed area, adjacent to the Prear Vihear Temple of 4.6 square kilometres belonging to Thailand. In the short term, those who benefit from the pullout include environment minister Suvit Khunkitti, whose track record on solving the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and other environmental issues is less than impressive. Suddenly, the environment minister has attained the status of hero. Minister Suvit, as well as the trailing Democrat Party, will get a boost for Sunday's national election.
For the opposing party, the move will end the possibility of peaceful diplomatic negotiations. Pheu Thai Party politicians _ both Noppadon Pattama and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra _ say that the withdrawal will affect conservation efforts in Thailand.
At the border, the military buildup has escalated. Shelling and fighting is expected. Certainly, there will be blood, from villagers and soldiers of both countries. We don't really know what villagers and soldiers of both countries really think about the world heritage site.
My reaction is mixed. I believe in peaceful negotiations over military resolutions (who doesn't?). But a peaceful negotiation is like doing the tango; you cannot dance when your partner is not ready to keep up the rhythm, or never waits for you and simply wants to steal the show. A tango with such a partner is exhausting, a time-wasting leg drill, more like a rehearsal in which you serve as only practice dancer, not a real partner.
Shall we tango on? Shall we walk away from the floor? Or should we just follow the ground rule in the art of negotiation _ keep on negotiating no matter what?
All I can think of is a man named Seub Nakhasathien, the late forestry official who committed suicide in 1990 to protect Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. Witnessing rampant poaching and other threats to the environment, Seub had pushed the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) to enlist Thung Yai Naresuan as a World Heritage Site. His wish only was realised only after in his death. As an act of atonement, the RFD eventually decided to propose that Unesco enlist Thung Yai Naresuan and the adjacent western complex as a World Heritage Site.
Precious forests such as Thung Yai Naresuan-Huai Kha Khaeng in the western forest complex and Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest, in the eastern forest complex, are Unesco World Heritage sites in the natural resource category. Both forest complexes have been protected by Unesco World Heritage status. Under WHC's requirements, projects with impacts such as environment damage and landscape change will be banned from these sites.
It is not an overstatement that Unesco's WHC have saved the forest complex from projects harmful to the environmental, such as dams and road construction, and has played a major role in upgrading conservation works and research for the country. The Government of Thailand is indeed planning to enlist national marine areas in the Andaman Sea as Unesco World Heritage sites. What will happen if the Government of Thailand withdraws from WHC?
After Mr Suvit boldly declared Thailand's withdrawal, many prominent figures said Thailand should not be worried, as the country has the capacity to manage its own conservation projects. Self-deception on a grand scale, indeed.
I do not know what is the right decision. Many people say the withdrawal is just a political tactic and it will take months for Thailand to make a real decision. But what will happen with soldiers and villagers along the border if the current government is re-elected and decides to withdraw from the Unesco's WHC for real? What will happen with our sovereignty if Pheu Thai _ known to be Hun Sen's appeaser _ becomes the government? Will the tango partner go back to the dance floor?
Personally, I'll never understand how Unesco's WHC accepted Cambodia's request to enlist the site right from the start. For me, it is senseless for the WHC to process the heritage site enlisting when Cambodian troops have been stationed at Preah Vihear temple since 2008 and shelling between soldiers of both countries has been ongoing since that year? Instead, WHC should consider putting memberships of Thailand and Cambodia on red-list for damaging an ancient site, politicising and shaming the philosophy of conservation at its core. The WHC itself should consider its role when the enlisting leads to problems of national sovereignty. For me, conservation must foster peace and lead to betterment, not the other way around.
I wonder what Seub would say if he were still alive.
Anchalee Kongrut is a Life writer.
Published: 1/07/2011
Bangkok Post
Is it the right decision for Thailand to withdraw from the Unesco's World Heritage Convention? The question will have many answers. For the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the government made the right move. The withdrawal restores national pride and pulled the plug on Cambodia's attempt to claim the disputed area, adjacent to the Prear Vihear Temple of 4.6 square kilometres belonging to Thailand. In the short term, those who benefit from the pullout include environment minister Suvit Khunkitti, whose track record on solving the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and other environmental issues is less than impressive. Suddenly, the environment minister has attained the status of hero. Minister Suvit, as well as the trailing Democrat Party, will get a boost for Sunday's national election.
For the opposing party, the move will end the possibility of peaceful diplomatic negotiations. Pheu Thai Party politicians _ both Noppadon Pattama and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra _ say that the withdrawal will affect conservation efforts in Thailand.
At the border, the military buildup has escalated. Shelling and fighting is expected. Certainly, there will be blood, from villagers and soldiers of both countries. We don't really know what villagers and soldiers of both countries really think about the world heritage site.
My reaction is mixed. I believe in peaceful negotiations over military resolutions (who doesn't?). But a peaceful negotiation is like doing the tango; you cannot dance when your partner is not ready to keep up the rhythm, or never waits for you and simply wants to steal the show. A tango with such a partner is exhausting, a time-wasting leg drill, more like a rehearsal in which you serve as only practice dancer, not a real partner.
Shall we tango on? Shall we walk away from the floor? Or should we just follow the ground rule in the art of negotiation _ keep on negotiating no matter what?
All I can think of is a man named Seub Nakhasathien, the late forestry official who committed suicide in 1990 to protect Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. Witnessing rampant poaching and other threats to the environment, Seub had pushed the Royal Forestry Department (RFD) to enlist Thung Yai Naresuan as a World Heritage Site. His wish only was realised only after in his death. As an act of atonement, the RFD eventually decided to propose that Unesco enlist Thung Yai Naresuan and the adjacent western complex as a World Heritage Site.
Precious forests such as Thung Yai Naresuan-Huai Kha Khaeng in the western forest complex and Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest, in the eastern forest complex, are Unesco World Heritage sites in the natural resource category. Both forest complexes have been protected by Unesco World Heritage status. Under WHC's requirements, projects with impacts such as environment damage and landscape change will be banned from these sites.
It is not an overstatement that Unesco's WHC have saved the forest complex from projects harmful to the environmental, such as dams and road construction, and has played a major role in upgrading conservation works and research for the country. The Government of Thailand is indeed planning to enlist national marine areas in the Andaman Sea as Unesco World Heritage sites. What will happen if the Government of Thailand withdraws from WHC?
After Mr Suvit boldly declared Thailand's withdrawal, many prominent figures said Thailand should not be worried, as the country has the capacity to manage its own conservation projects. Self-deception on a grand scale, indeed.
I do not know what is the right decision. Many people say the withdrawal is just a political tactic and it will take months for Thailand to make a real decision. But what will happen with soldiers and villagers along the border if the current government is re-elected and decides to withdraw from the Unesco's WHC for real? What will happen with our sovereignty if Pheu Thai _ known to be Hun Sen's appeaser _ becomes the government? Will the tango partner go back to the dance floor?
Personally, I'll never understand how Unesco's WHC accepted Cambodia's request to enlist the site right from the start. For me, it is senseless for the WHC to process the heritage site enlisting when Cambodian troops have been stationed at Preah Vihear temple since 2008 and shelling between soldiers of both countries has been ongoing since that year? Instead, WHC should consider putting memberships of Thailand and Cambodia on red-list for damaging an ancient site, politicising and shaming the philosophy of conservation at its core. The WHC itself should consider its role when the enlisting leads to problems of national sovereignty. For me, conservation must foster peace and lead to betterment, not the other way around.
I wonder what Seub would say if he were still alive.
Anchalee Kongrut is a Life writer.
3 comments:
Hahaha! Thailand doing World Heritage Tango! Its so funny...shit!
Khmer temple became UNISCO WHS before the murderous thai army build up.
You thai stupid should know that
Geez..what else Thailand didn't list under UNESCO, Abhisit's left nut?
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