Preah Vihear

THAILAND still opposes Cambodia’s proposal that the Unesco World Heritage Committee manage the area around the ancient Preah Vihear temple, according to remarks by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday. “I’ve told my Cambodian counterpart that Thailand will continue using the watershed mark as the border between both countries”, Abhisit said during his weekly broadcast in Bangkok. “Thailand will abide by the International Court of Justice’s ruling in 1962 and is against Cambodia’s move to submit its management plan for the Preah Vihear to the World Heritage Committee in June next year, as it could lead to more conflicts”, he said. Spokesman for the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan said Abhisit’s statement indicates the two governments remain at odds over the controversial issue. The decision about how to manage the temple is up to Cambodia, he said, because “it is under Cambodian sovereignty, as has been internationally recognised”.