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Thailand requests reopening of Preah Vihear Temple access

The Cambodian officials said that Thai officials have forwarded a request to the Kingdom to allow tourists access to Preah Vihear Temple through Thailand’s Si Sa Ket border gate following the warming relations between the two countries over the last decade.

The Governor of Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province told Bangkok Post that provincial officials had approached the Cambodian side for permission to reopen the border.

Lieutenant General Srey Doek, commander of Intervention Division 3 in Preah Vihear province, said yesterday that he had recently received this information from Thai officials concerning the request to reopen the border in Si Sa Ket province.

Lt Gen Doek noted that border security between the two countries has improved.

“Cooperation between the two countries is good and communication between the two sides is normal,” he added. “We no longer have any problems through the Si Sa Ket border gate and another border gate in Preah Vihear province.”

The dispute between Cambodia and Thailand stemmed from a border incident in 2008 when Thai soldiers occupied the Keo Sikhakirisvara pagoda area located on Cambodian territory about 300 meters from Preah Vihear Temple.

General Khieu Sopheak, Ministry of Interior spokesman, said the government will discuss the matter after the Thai side made the request.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said yesterday Cambodia’s diplomatic relations with Thailand have improved over the last decade. The government always reveals its purpose in connection with Thailand out of respect for the sovereignty of each country.

“To close or reopen the Cambodia-Thailand border gate in Preah Vihear province for tourists to visit Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple from the Thai side is a decision for Cambodia to make,” said Phea.

Phea added that if the Cambodian government agrees to reopen the border, which would allow Thai and international tourists direct access to Preah Vihear Temple from Thailand, Cambodia retains the sole right to sell tickets to the ancient site.

“This is to acknowledge our culture and recognize Preah Vihear as part of Cambodia to tourists,” said Phea, “Temple guides must be Cambodian, and Thai guides will not be allowed,” he said.

Phea added that this condition is to ensure that Thai guides wouldn’t introduce incorrect information about the temple to tourists.

The temple has been a very hot topic between the two countries for a long time.

There have been many attempts by Thailand, including the recent request to reopen the Si Sa Ket border gate, to cooperate with Cambodia in restarting Thai tourism around the temple complex, a local source told Bangkok Post yesterday.

The source said that Cambodia would reshuffle its military organization in the Preah Vihear temple area, a new approach endorsed by General Hun Manet.

It is expected that Gen Hun Manet would resolve the land dispute around Preah Vihear temple which could lead to a permanent military withdrawal and sustainable tourism in the future, Bangkok Post said.

Thailand’s Lieutenant General Sawarat Saengphon, Commander of the 2nd Army Region, told Bangkok Post that Cambodian military leadership had told him that both countries might have to tolerate the current situation if the territorial dispute remains unresolved.

Many locals from Cambodia and Thailand have encroached on the disputed area many times. Lt Gen Sawarat said officers have tried to negotiate a settlement and relocate them.

The source also told Bangkok Post that another promising solution to ease the border conflict is to allow tourists access to the temple from Thailand’s Pha Mor E-Daeng in Khao Phra Viharn National Park.

“If Cambodia allows access to the temple from Thailand, it would benefit tourism and attract more visitors,” the source said.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com