Thread: Preah Vihear listed as a WHC

Well Cambodia succeeded with the listing.
So is it all over now?

I think the fan is about to get very dirty

Well, they better reconstruct the place seeing as how it was that lovely Pol Pot who just about destroyed it...

The temple is on Cambodian soil but the only viable visitor route is through Thailand? Is that the story?

^ You got it. Interesting editorial in the Post today about the border issue.

Getting over the Preah Vihear dispute

Historian Srisakra Vallibhotama believes that the site at the temple of Preah Vihear conformed to the ancient concept of using landmarks associated with spiritual belief as boundary marks. Considering the landscape, the promontory of Dangrek Range where Preah Vihear is located, clearly separates the Cambodian plain from the Korat plateau stretching down towards the Thai side.

Historical evidence suggests that the area had long been used as a sacred site before Preah Vihear was built on top of it around the early 11th century.

The ancient concept of organic boundary started shifting toward one that is more fixed - a line on a map - when Western imperialists arrived in the region and took over some parts of it, according to Surachart Bamrungsuk.

The political scientist and military expert at Chulalongkorn University added that the concept of a modern state and clear demarcation lines was a crucial tool for the Western powers to differentiate between states that came under their protection.

"What happened was that those imperial countries tended to have more power over other states in the region. The imbalance led to a forced acceptance of some disadvantages in demarcation, and Thailand, or Siam back then, was no different," said Dr Surachart.

The Preah Vihear case reflects the larger demarcation problem left over from the past. It is a common problem in several areas around the world, Dr Surachart said.

Originally Posted by attaboy

The temple is on Cambodian soil but the only viable visitor route is through Thailand? Is that the story?

Possibly, but the larger story is if the Cambodians are so sure-fire hot on the place, they might do something about a little reconstruction too.