ID :
11268
Wed, 07/02/2008 - 10:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11268
The shortlink copeid
Thai PM urges Cambodian PM to look after Thais living in Cambodia
BEIJING, July 2 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Tuesday he had talked to his Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, urging him to help guarantee the personal safety of Thais living in Cambodia, and informing him about the Thai Administrative Court-issued injunction suspending his cabinet's endorsement of the Cambodian government's bid to propose the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.
The Thai premier, now making an official visit to China, told members of
the Thai community in Beijing that the Preah Vihear temple controversy has
been blown out of proportion as it was fiercely debated in the Thai
parliament last week.
The government must follow the Administrative Court's order, Mr. Samak
said, adding that Thailand would neither gain nor lose from his government
approving the new map of the ancient temple drawn by the Cambodian
government.
The court's action was made in response to a petition from Thailand's
anti-government coalition, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD),
which urged the court to nullify the Thai cabinet resolution of June 17
endorsing Cambodia's map of the ancient temple.
The activist group feared that the Thai cabinet endorsement would be used
by Cambodia to contest Thailand's sovereignty over a still-unresolved 4.6
square kilometre area adjacent to the ancient Hindu temple complex.
Mr. Samak said he had just telephoned Mr. Hun Sen in Phnom Penh to say
that as Thailand's premier he had to obey the court's order, issued last
Saturday.
The Thai premier also said he had requested the Cambodian prime minister
to look after the Thai embassy and Thai residents in Cambodia, and that
the Thai government would undertake the same responsibility in Thailand.
His request to Prime Minister Hun Sen was made following local press
reports that Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit had ordered
the army in Northeastern Thailand which oversees the common border between
the two neighbouring countries to monitor the ongoing protests by Thai
villagers against listing of Preah Vihear temple through the United
Nations.
The Cambodian government plans to propose the temple as a World Heritage
site during a meeting of the United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage Committee which begins
tomorrow in Quebec, Canada. (TNA)
The Thai premier, now making an official visit to China, told members of
the Thai community in Beijing that the Preah Vihear temple controversy has
been blown out of proportion as it was fiercely debated in the Thai
parliament last week.
The government must follow the Administrative Court's order, Mr. Samak
said, adding that Thailand would neither gain nor lose from his government
approving the new map of the ancient temple drawn by the Cambodian
government.
The court's action was made in response to a petition from Thailand's
anti-government coalition, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD),
which urged the court to nullify the Thai cabinet resolution of June 17
endorsing Cambodia's map of the ancient temple.
The activist group feared that the Thai cabinet endorsement would be used
by Cambodia to contest Thailand's sovereignty over a still-unresolved 4.6
square kilometre area adjacent to the ancient Hindu temple complex.
Mr. Samak said he had just telephoned Mr. Hun Sen in Phnom Penh to say
that as Thailand's premier he had to obey the court's order, issued last
Saturday.
The Thai premier also said he had requested the Cambodian prime minister
to look after the Thai embassy and Thai residents in Cambodia, and that
the Thai government would undertake the same responsibility in Thailand.
His request to Prime Minister Hun Sen was made following local press
reports that Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit had ordered
the army in Northeastern Thailand which oversees the common border between
the two neighbouring countries to monitor the ongoing protests by Thai
villagers against listing of Preah Vihear temple through the United
Nations.
The Cambodian government plans to propose the temple as a World Heritage
site during a meeting of the United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage Committee which begins
tomorrow in Quebec, Canada. (TNA)
