BANGKOK, 29 June 2011 – Thailand will return to the World Heritage Convention if the unilateral management plan for Preah Vihear Temple proposed by Cambodia is postponed indefinitely, according to Secretary to the Foreign Minister Chavanond Intarakomalyasut.
The comment followed a suggestion by Mr Panitan Wattanayagorn, Deputy Secretary General to the Prime Minister and Acting spokesperson for the government, that Thailand’s return could be considered if ‘interesting’ proposals were made.
Mr Chavanond elaborated tht those interesting conditions include a definite postponement of the consideration in the Cambodian management plan and the assurance that demarcation of the overlapping area around Preah Vihear Temple must be completed first.
The Foreign Minister’s secretary also brushed aside a rumour of conflict between his ministry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment during the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in France.
Earlier, Mr Noppadol Pattama, an ex-foreign minister and legal advisor to ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, criticised the government for withdrawing Thailand from the World Heritage Convention and called for a review of the issue.
In response, Mr Chavanond asked Mr Noppadol to review his role in the past that had led to the problem of Thai-Cambodian conflicts which, he said, resulted from Mr Noppadol’s endorsement of a joint declaration supporting Cambodia’s unilateral registration of Preah Vihear Temple as a world heritage site on 18 June 2008.
