Thai Premier Welcomes Cambodia's Preah Vihear Entering

By Soy Sophea

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who paid a two-day official visit to Cambodia on March 3-4, has expressed his heartiest support for the Cambodian government’s efforts to enter Preah
Vihear temple into UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of world heritage sites.

The event to decide the matter will be held in June this year in Canada. The Thai Premier told his counterpart Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during an official dialog at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) that Thailand backed Cambodia’s plans for her only Preah Vihear but would not extend similar support in relation to a controversial border issue, according to the Cambodian Government’s Spokesman Khieu Kanharith.

Khieu Kanharith, who is also the Information Minister, told reporters at a press conference on March 3 that the Thai Premier Samak confirmed that his government backed Cambodia in entering the controversial temple to the world heritage list, explaining that according to the Thai Premier, “Thailand has no objections…”

Last year, the MoFAIC Minister Hor Namhong asked the Thai government for support for Cambodia’s re-submission of a proposal to enter Preah Vihear temple to UNESCO’s world heritage list this year. The Minister Hor Namhong said Phnom Penh was ready to declare that the procedure would not affect the border demarcation.