16/02/2011
Bangkok Post
A total of 120 MPs of the Democrat Party and its coalition partners on Wednesday afternoon submitted a letter to House Speaker Chai Chidchob calling on him to ask Unesco to put the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site on hold.
The letter was accepted by Deputy House Speaker Col Apiwon Wiriyachai.
MP Atthaporn Ponbutr said he and his colleagues oppose the listing of the ancient temple because the area around it is still in dispute and the scene of clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops from Feb 4 to 7 that caused death and injuriy to soldiers and civilians of both sides.
“There are photos which show that Cambodian troops used Preah Vihear temple as an operations base, which is a violation of the principle and conditions for listing of a world heritage site and has put the temple at risk of being damaged,” he said.
The Democrat list MP said if Unesco gives final approval to Cambodia’s listing request, the current bad ties between Bangkok and Phnom Penh will worsen. This could lead to confrontation and possibly war between the two neighbours, the Democrat list MP said.
Neither country wants such a war, and nor does the international community.
Mr Atthaporn said Preah Vihear should be listed only after the demarcation of the disputed border is agreed on by the two countries.
He asked the speaker to pass on the opinion of the 120 MPs to the director-general of Unesco.
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