[Tlc] TC-border politics

[justinm at ucr.edu]

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justin


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/07/17/politics/politics_30078303.php
 
Bruised nationalism stirring bad feelings between Thais, Cambodians

Published on July 17, 2008

There is a whiff of undesirable difficulty building up in relations between Thailand and Cambodia in the aftermath of the World Heritage listing for the controversial Preah Vihear temple.
It is arising from the obligations forced upon the Samak Sundaravej government and the Foreign Ministry by the ongoing People's Alliance for Democracy street protest, the stance of the opposition Democrat Party and the actions of some senators and nationalist academics.

Bruised nationalism is stimulating feelings of hatred between Thais and Cambodians. Anti-Cambodian sentiment is growing stronger as Thais - who consider themselves superior to their southeastern neighbours - feel they have lost face because Cambodia managed to have the Hindu temple listed as a World Heritage site.

The listing of anyplace as a World Heritage site is not a matter of gain or loss. But many Thais are convinced of loss, because they've been told repeatedly that the listing means Thailand has lost sovereignty over Preah Vihear. So, as Cambodia celebrated last week's World Heritage listing, many Thais felt bitter.

Legal misinterpretation by intellectuals has confused the powerful Thai sense of ownership. The entire world is aware that in 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Preah Vihear was "situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia".

As a member of the United Nations, Thailand had to accept the ruling and hand the temple over to Cambodia. In the decades since then, there has been no legal bid to reclaim the site. Some legal experts intentionally misinterpreted Article 60 of the ICJ's rules by saying it reserved the right to reclaim the temple.

In fact, the article merely says that "in the event of a dispute as to the meaning or scope of judgement", the court will construe such matters upon the request of any party.

Therefore, in the language of the law, de facto and de jure, the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia.

For the past 46 years, the Thai authorities have never dared use Article 60 to ask the ICJ for clarification of the meaning or scope of its ruling. Such action may have caused further loss of territory, because in making its original decision, the court referred to a French-made map that swallowed up a large swathe of so-called "overlapping" area in Cambodia's favour. The whole mountain where the temple stands may now be under Cambodian sovereignty.

Many Cambodians have been quoted in their local media as saying Thailand's unlimited greed would end up bringing the country shame. One Cambodia woman at the temple told The Phnom Penh Post she was increasingly worried that the dispute would turn ugly.

"We are concerned that the Thais have come here to create trouble," she said, referring to hundreds of Thai protesters who gathered near the temple a few weeks ago.

The group threatened to storm it. On Tuesday, three of their number carried out the threat and were arrested by Cambodian authorities and held for several hours. This kind of emotion will likely destroy the fundamentally good relations between the two countries in the short-term future if both sides allow feelings to get out of hand.

Then there is a technical problem. Former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama was forced to emphasise Thai concerns linking the heritage listing with sovereignty before the World Heritage Committee in Quebec, Canada. That stance could become a powerful argument for Cambodia to use in opposing Thailand's forthcoming application for World Heritage listing of the adjoining area downhill from the temple within two years.

The World Heritage Committee pointed out its regulations stipulate that the listing of any World Heritage site has nothing to do with sovereignty. However, the Thai team arguing against the listing insisted the committee recognise the domestic political sensitivity of the Preah Vihear site.

Phnom Penh may now be able to turn the tables on Bangkok, since Cambodia also claims sovereignty over territory containing many archaeological sites along the border, including the area downhill from Preah Vihear.

It is difficult to imagine what may happen in the future if Thailand is forced to cut "overlapping" areas off of the sites it proposes for listing. In fact, Thailand may ultimately be left with no sites along the border for which to apply for World Heritage listing.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/07/17/politics/politics_30078302.php

Temple could draw millions of tourists

Published on July 17, 2008

The listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site has caused extraordinary things to happen to neighbours Cambodia and Thailand.

Strong feelings of nationalism are stirring in Thailand with discourse on "land and sovereignty", while Cambodia is seizing the opportunity provided by the listing of the 900-year-old temple, says Associate Professor Pipop Udorn of Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy.

For Cambodia - where about 35 per cent of the people live below the poverty line on less than Bt6 a day - Preah Vihear is a potential "economic miracle" that could help it achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals, Pipop said at a symposium on "Politics and Nationalism - The Preah Vihear Case".

"It [inscription on the World Heritage List] means a new airport, cable car, hotels, casino, employment for more than 300,000 local people, and US$2 billion [Bt67 billion] from tourism income," said Pipop, adding that Cambodia's Tourism Action Plan targeted 3.12 million tourists by 2010.

Preah Vihear's World Heritage listing reflects the success of the Cambodian government's Economic Quadrangle policy under Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration. Conversely, it reflects failure by the Thai government to inform the public about the benefits Thailand could share from the listing, Pipop said.

Thai governments since 2005 had supported the World Heritage listing by Cambodia and had already provided financial assistance to build Road No 67 linking the attractive tourist site of Siem Reap to the Thai border next to Preah Vihear, he said.

Associate Professor Surachart Bamrungsuk agreed Thai society could do a much better job of turning the conflict into a real benefit.

Promoting the Preah Vihear site as a "Joint Cultural Development Area" or "Joint Tourism Area" would be an option to enable both countries to enjoy economic benefits as well as cultural development, Surachart said. Thailand's northeastern Isaan region would become a gateway to Indochina through cultural links.

"Today if we do not accept anything [the International Court of Justice's ruling and the decision of the World heritage Committee], we must answer to the world community on how we are going to coexist with others," said Surachart, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University and an expert on national security.

The International Court of Justice, in a nine-vote-to-three ruling, judged Preah Vihear to be "situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia" some 46 years ago.

A letter by the then interior minister of July 6, 1962 to the prime minister stated: "Thailand is obligated to withdraw police, guards or other security from the Preah Vihear site by adhering to the principle that Cambodia will keep the remains of the Temple of Preah Vihear and the land beneath it." But anti-government groups, including senators, the opposition and some academics claim the temple sits on Thai soil.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30078318
Thailand and Cambodia to meet to resolve miltiary stand off at Preah Vihear Temp.e
Thai- Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) will convene a special session next Monday in Sa Kaew province of Thailand to defuse the military stand-off at the Preah Vihear temple.

The military stand-off entered the second day on Wednesday.

The GBC - a bilateral mechanism which is co-chaired by the Thai and Cambodian Ministers of Defense, or their representatives, and meets on a regular basis, was initially scheduled to hold its next session in August 2008, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The special session was called after Cambodia alleged that Thailand has deployed some 200 troops into "disputed area" near the Hindu temple. Phnom Penh also boosted 300 armed forces into the area to confront with their Thai counterparts.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=128905

Authorities block access to Preah Vihear zone

Military sources said about 250 Thai troops have been deployed near the Cambodian border following the arrest by Cambodia of three Thai citizens who crossed into the disputed border area early Tuesday.

The trio were returned to Thailand later on Tuesday, but Thais are being warned not to travel to the vicinity of Preah Vihear.

Meanwhile, military sources said, Cambodian troops have been reinforced nearby the area of overlapping claims.

The troop movements by both countries heightened tension at the border, and the Thai authorities have restricted vehicles and media from a 10km radius of the ancient temple.

Lt-Gen Suchit Sitthiprapha, Thailand's Second Army Region commander said Wednesday that the protesters were being interviewed by the Suranaree Task Force and are "not being detained".

The trio, including a Buddhist monk, were detained briefly by Cambodian authorities on Tuesday after they had sneaked into the disputed area adjacent to the 11th century temple.

It was the first cross-border protest since Cambodia blocked access to Preah Vihear temple to visitors from Thailand last month, after some Thai protesters attempted to march on the temple ruins.

Gen Suchit said the area adjacent to the temple was still disputed between the two countries, which means there are differing ideas as to where the border is.

Assuring the public that there are sufficient Thai military personnel patrolling the Thai-Cambodian border.

The Preah Vihear site was awarded a World Heritage Site status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on July 7. (TNA)

 http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/topstories.php?id=128884

Update: Border build-up

By Bangkok Post, and Agencies

As both countries beef up military forces near the Preah Vihear temple, Thailand and Cambodia have called a special General Border Committee meeting for Monday to try to defuse tension over the brand new World Heritage Site.

Lt-Gen Sujit Sithiprapa, commander of the Second Army in charge of the northeastern region, has closed Khao Phra Viharn national park in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket and sealed access to the border in the area, banning visitors from seeing the temple ruins from the Thai side.

The road is now closed from the forestry district office, which is 8km from the borderline at Pha Mor E-Daeng.

The closure means members of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy will be unable to go to the border today as planned.

Si Sa Ket governor Sanee Jittakasem suggested they stage a protest in the district town instead.

About 900 Cambodians living on the mountain where the temple is located have fled their homes for a safer spot lower down, according to Cambodian border unit commander Seng Vuthy.

Three Thai protesters remained in the disputed area to meditate at Wat Phra Viharn, about 200m from the stone staircases leading to the temple. They were released on Tuesday after being detained, but refused to leave the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area.

The GBC, set up by the two countries to solve border issues, will meet for talks in Sa Kaeo province, the Foreign Ministry said.

The committee is co-chaired by the defence ministers of both countries. But it was unclear whether Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej and his Cambodian counterpart Gen Teah Banh will attend the talks or send representatives. The meeting was set for next month. The decision to bring it forward underlines the worry felt by both governments over the growing tension.

Thailand started reinforcing its troops yesterday after army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda ordered the First Special Warfare Unit to stand by at their base in Lop Buri province, and be ready for an airlift to the border in case of an emergency, an army source said.

Troops from the Artillery Regiment and the Third Infantry Division were already on their way to stations close to the border. The reinforcements from the three units would number about 800. Some 150 paramilitary rangers are already in the disputed area.

Air force chief ACM Chalit Phukpasuk assigned F-16 jets to patrol the border in Si Sa Ket yesterday and questioned the detention of three protesters by Cambodian soldiers in the overlapping zone.

"Ownership of the overlapping area is still open. As the boundary has not yet been established, does Cambodia have any right to arrest us if we enter the area?" he said.

Pol Capt Soy Burin of the Cambodian border patrol unit said more Cambodian troops had been sent to guard the ruins.

Phnom Penh has 380 soldiers stationed at the temple, according to Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith.

Despite the presence of more troops at the border, Gen Anupong instructed soldiers to avoid a clash with Cambodian soldiers.

Lt-Gen Sujit insisted on the presence of Thai troops in the disputed area unless Cambodia moves its soldiers out.

"If Cambodia does not withdraw its soldiers, we won't either, because it is the overlapping area," he said.

Mr Khieu Kanharith backed off his assertion on Tuesday that Thai troops had been captured in Cambodia, saying it was a misunderstanding.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told the public to remain calm and not to "inflame [the situation] or add fuel to the fire"

 
______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu