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Thai wants to share the name and called it Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear

Posted by admin on Feb-3-2009

4/02/20
By THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

Negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia over Preah Vihear have stumbled over the spelling of the name of the famed ancient temple.

A Thai official said yesterday officials of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission were trying to find a way around the problem so border negotiations could proceed.

Vasin Teeravechyan, who chairs the commission, said a solution acceptable to the two countries would be found.

Thailand insists on using “the Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear” on documents used in the negotiations. Cambodian officials strongly object, saying Preah Vihear is internationally accepted.

Mr Vasin, who is a retired Foreign Ministry official, said the name proposed by Thailand was very common in international negotiations on the issue.

The Temple of Phra Viharn-Preah Vihear has been approved by parliament for the framework negotiations with Cambodia. Thailand will use it in documents to be signed with Cambodia.

The meeting will be concluded today.

The two countries have been unable to settle on a plan to reduce troops in the disputed area which covers 4.6 square kilometres between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear.

Mr Vasin refused further comment on the issue. But earlier he said Cambodia had told the meeting it had no soldiers stationed in the area.

The Cambodia delegation is led by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong.

Despite the disagreement over the name of the temple, the two countries will set up another team to survey the borderline for demarcation between Nam Yuen district in Ubon Ratchathani and Phu Sing district in Si Sa Ket, which is 195km long.

Thailand and Cambodia have already formed a survey team to study the disputed area near the ancient temple which was the scene of a military clash last year.

A plan to reduce the number of soldiers near the disputed area is expected to be included in talks when Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan visits Phnom Penh on Friday.

Posted in Featured, Preah Vihear News
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Nov
16

Yudhoyono: Thailand, Cambodia can still solve border conflict bilaterally

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yudhoyono-susilo bambang.aspxMonday, November 16, 2009
Singapore (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (pictured) has expressed the view that Thailand and Cambodia should solve their border conflict bilaterally without referring it to an ASEAN forum.

In statements at the Marina Mandarin Hotel here on Monday morning before returning to Jakarta after attending a series of APEC meetings here, Yudhoyono said, “In my opinion, there are still opportunities for Thailand and Cambodia to solve their border issue bilaterally, and our foreign affairs minister will maintain communication with their Thai and Cambodian counterparts about the matter,” the president said.

Therefore, he said, Indonesia would wait and see how things between Thailand and Cambodia developed while hoping they could eventually find the best possible way out of their dispute.

“Then, whenever in their discussions they agree there is something positive other ASEAN countries can contribute, we will certainly be ready to do so,” Yudhoyono said.

He said said he had met and talked with both Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen separately on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Singapore.

“I don`t want to take any further steps because I met with the Thai and Cambodian prime ministers in a friendly atmosphere,” Yudhoyono said, adding that at themeetings, he had suggested the two ASEAN member countries solve their border problem bilaterally.

“On the occasion I said it`s better for the two leaders to overcome the problem bilaterally without bringing it to an ASEAN forum or to make it an international issue because it would not be good for ASEAM as a whole,” Yudhoyono said.

Tensions on the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia have existed for some years but they increased since July last year, after Unesco granted world heritage status to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The dispute led to violence last April when soldiers of the two countries clashed twice near the ancient temple where two Thai soldiers and two Cambodian soldiers died in the fighting while nine Thai soldiers were wounded.

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