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| SORE LOSER Suwit Khuntikki |
PARIS, June 26 (MCOT online news) – Thailand announced its departure from the World Heritage Convention with immediate effect on Saturday, after the World Heritage Committee failed to heed its request seeking postponement of the Cambodia’s unilaterally-proposed Preah Vihear Temple management plan, as Thailand fears that it may threaten national sovereignty.
Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, leading the Thai delegation at the 35th session of the WHC meeting in Paris, earlier notified Mr Mounir Bouchenaki, director-general of International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, who represents the director-general of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), that Thailand would leave the World Heritage Convention and would also withdraw from the 21-member World Heritage Committee as the body continues to ignore any negative consequences which may arise from the consideration of the temple management plan which he said overlooks sensitive issues which could adversely affect Thailand’s sovereignty and territory.
Mr Suwit also said the World Heritage Centre, instead of revising the wording of the draft, decided to put it on the agenda of the WHC meeting in Paris, despite Thailand’s request to have the plan deferred, pending border demarcation with Cambodia.
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