Thai are suggested to study law now to become a better human

‘Nothing to fear’ from heritage meet

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25/07/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post

Thailand has nothing to fear from the World Heritage Committee meeting starting today in Brazil, a source says.

Cambodian soldiers guard Prasat Preah Vihear

The meeting will discuss Cambodia’s management plan for Preah Vihear temple and its buffer zone.

Thailand has yet to see the plan, because it has not been distributed to committee members.

However, the source said any decision by the committee to back the plan is unlikely to affect Thailand’s territorial dispute with Cambodia over land near the temple.

Preah Vihear has been on Unesco’s world heritage list since 2008.

Thailand opposes the plan on the grounds that sovereignty over the buffer zone, the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area claimed by the two countries, has not been settled.

The source, who works on resolving border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia, said endorsement of the management plan would probably have little impact on the territorial dispute.

He cited the World Heritage Convention which says the listing of a world heritage site will not prejudice concerned parties’ right to conduct territorial disputes.

The source insists the world heritage work will not affect demarcation work in the area as both sides reached agreements following a memorandum of understanding on demarcation work in 2000.

The work has made little progress so far, because they first need to identify all 73 land pegs running along the Thai-Cambodia border.

“I think we need to study the law so we can deal with the issue better. At the moment, emotions are running too high,” the source said.

However, he cautioned about possible encroachments on Thai territory by Cambodia following any plan endorsement.