Published: 17/08/2011
Bangkok Post
The cabinet yesterday assigned Foreign Minister Surapong Towijakchaikul to review the Thai World Heritage Committee's recommendation for Thailand to withdraw its membership from the World Heritage Convention.
Ampol Kitti-ampol, secretary-general to the cabinet, said the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration had made no decision on the recommendation, deciding instead to leave it to the next government.
Mr Ampol said the cabinet suggested Mr Surapong consult relevant government agencies and present his recommendation at the next cabinet meeting.
A government source said if the Thai government still wanted to withdraw from the WHC, it must send a letter of intent to Unesco director-general Irina Bokova.
The letter must be signed by either the prime minister or the foreign minister. Any withdrawal would come into effect one year from the date Ms Bokova received the letter.
But, during this year, Thailand would not be allowed to ask Unesco's World Heritage Committee to inscribe new heritage sites, the source said.
The source said existing World Heritage Sites would be unaffected.
However, if the government decides not to withdraw Thailand from the WHC, it has to inform Unesco of its decision in writing.
"It is likely that the Foreign Ministry will oppose the withdrawal as it sees no strong reasons to do so," said the source.
Meanwhile, Cambodia has suggested that the plan to deploy Indonesian observers in the Thai-Cambodian disputed areas be scrapped, Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said yesterday.
Gen Yutthasak said he had received an invitation from Gen Tea Banh, Cambodia's deputy prime minister and defence minister, to attend a Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Phnom Penh.
Gen Yutthasak said Phnom Penh had suggested that Thailand and Cambodia settle the border dispute through bilateral talks, adding that the two countries may inform the International Court of Justice that they do not need observers from a third country.
"I will call a meeting of representatives from relevant organisations on Aug 17," Gen Yutthasak said.
He has assigned Lt Gen Wissanu Sriyaphan, chief of the Department of Border Affairs at the Thai Armed Forces and Thai secretary of the GBC secretariat, to work with his Cambodian counterpart to prepare for the meeting.
The defence minister said he wanted the GBC meeting to be held as soon as possible, but other meetings needed to take place first.
The Thai-Cambodian secretariat will meet first, and then a Regional Border Committee meeting will follow in Nakhon Ratchasima.
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