Mutual ties not affected by Phreah Vihear dispute : Thai ambassador

Cambodia understood the Thai position that there were still certain unsettled issues including border demarcation, he said.

Unesco's World Heritage committee delayed until next year a decision to put the shrine on the World Heritage list. The decision came after Thailand argued that the ThaiCambodian border has yet to be demarcated and a joint management plan for the area is still being discussed.

The Thai envoy said Cambodia is well aware that its request was not rejected but only delayed until next year's meeting, While some local Cambodian media wanted to instigate publicity, the majority of the Khmer people including the government understood the matter.

The ambassador reiterated that the Unesco panel based its decision on the basis that it needed more information and related documents concerning Cambodia's request about Preah Vihear.

The panel asked Cambodia to resubmit its request in February next year.

Meanwhile a senior Thai army officer said the Thai army has closed the entrance to Phreah Vihear, close to Si Sa Ket province, after refusing to abide by a Cambodian order not to wear uniforms when they visit the venue.

The Cambodian side claimed that seeing the Thai military in uniform will not be good for tourism in Preah Vihear.

The order came a few days after Unesco's decision regarding the World Heritage site listing. 

Preah Vihear is technically located in the northernmost tip of Cambodia but is only easily accessible from northeast Thailand

Ownership of Preah Vihear temple was disputed by Thailand and Cambodia and the International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.

A senior army source said that the Thai army refused to abide by the Cambodian order, leading to  conflict and the closing of the entrance to Preah Vihear.

He said this was not the first time that the Cambodian side came up with this kind of order and not the first time that unsettled issues led to the suspension of services to the shrine.

"Every time that there is an unsettled issue between Thailand and Cambodia, it has resulted in a change of orders concerning Preah Viehar," he said.

By Nantida Puangthong/Marisa Chimprabha

The Nation