UN's temple listing adds to Thai political instability (Roundup)

Jul 8, 2008, 12:01 GMT

   Bangkok - A decision by UNESCO to designate a Hindu temple in Cambodia to the World Heritage list added to Thailand's political instability Tuesday when a court ruled the government's controversial efforts to support the listing as unconstitutional.

Thailand's Constitution Court on Tuesday ruled that Foreign Minister Noppodon Pattama had violated the constitution by signing a joint communique with Cambodia last month that initially gave Thailand's support for the heritage listing of the temple, which has been the source of disputes between the two neighbouring countries for decades.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, who heads the opposition Democrat Party, vowed to seek an impeachment for Noppodon for violating the constitution.

   The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at a meeting in Quebec on Monday decided to list Preah Vihear, a stunning clifftop temple dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva perched on the mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, as a new heritage site.

   The Cambodian proposal was first supported and then opposed by Thailand, which lost the temple site in a border dispute to Cambodia in a International Court of Justice case in 1962.

   Although Thailand accepted the 1962 ruling it opposed Cambodia's previous efforts to list the temple at UNESCO in 2006 and 2007 on the grounds that part of the temple compound is still the subject of a border dispute.

It is unclear whether the inscription approved in Quebec included the disputed grounds in the temple area.

   Thailand's current government under Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej first supported the listing and even signed a joint communique with Cambodia on June 18 pledging its support.

The official support was withdrawn after the issue became a political hot potato and Thailand's Administrative Court on June 21 ordered the government to oppose the listing.

Noppodon travelled to Quebec over the weekend to personally oppose the listing, but failed.

On Tuesday, Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled that Noppadon had violated the constitution by signing the joint communique on June 18 with Phnom Penh without first consulting parliament.

Article 190 of the constitution states that any decisions which could affect Thai national sovereignty must be considered by parliament.

Thailand's Foreign Ministry refused to comment immediately on the listing of Preah Vihear, which is called Phra Viharn in Thailand.

   'The Phra Viharn affair has the makings of the Shin Corp deal. It could oust the government,' said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok's prestigious Chulalongkorn University.

   In January 2006, former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra's family sold their shares in the Thaskin-founded Shin Corp - Thailand's largest telecommunications conglomerate - in a 2 billion dollar tax free deal that is often cited as the beginning of the downfall for the populist prime minister.

   Thaksin, a billionaire businessman who was premier between 2001 to 2006, was eventually toppled by a coup in September 2006.

   Anti-government protestors and the opposition Democrat Party have both jumped on the current administration's initial support for the Cambodian proposal to list Preah Vihear for political mileage.

   Although the government later withdrew its support, there was widespread dissatisfaction with the handling of the issue and suspicions that Noppodon had backed the Cambodians to benefit his former boss, Thaksin, in rumoured business deals in Cambodia.

   Noppodon was once Thaksin's personal lawyer. He belongs to the People Power Party (PPP), which is known to back and be backed by Thaksin, and is headed by Prime Minister Samak, a Thaksin ally.

   'If Noppodon remains defiant and the Samak government doesn't come out with some responsive measures to placate the nationalistic mood, there will be problems,' predicted Thitinan.

   Samak's government is already under mounting pressure to resign. Thousands of protestors have been demonstrating in Bangkok against Samak's rule since late May. A blistering censure debate against his cabinet took place in June and several court cases are pending this month against members of his cabinet.

   The opposition Democrat Party highlighted the Preah Vihear issue in its censure debate to question the government's integrity.

'I'm sure no people would accept the idea that their people could somehow trade off territory or sovereignty for business interests,' Democrat leader Abhisit told a recent press gathering.