Thursday, September 3, 2009

Politics, confusion stall temple solution

September 2, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

The dispute with Cambodia over Preah Vihear Temple will not end easily since political forces in Thailand are keen only on presenting more problems, rather than pushing for a constructive solution.
The unnecessary conflict with Cambodia broke out more than 13 months ago when the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the Democrat Party, then in opposition, forced the Thai government to object to Cambodia's proposal to list the 11th century Khmer sanctuary as a world heritage site.
Since the Thai attempt to block the World Heritage Committee's decision to grant the status failed, the fight should now be over. Two border skirmishes in October last year and April this year, which claimed seven soldiers on both sides and injured many others, should have been a high enough price for Thai jealousy.
People in the border province of Si Sa Ket were supposed to have resumed their businesses, earning income from the attractive world heritage listed site. Closure of the tourism site for more than a year is not good for anybody.

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