Cabinet agrees to rewrite resolution on Preah Vihear Temple

The government is due today to be grilled by the opposition over their endorsement of Cambodia's bid to list the Preah Vihear Temple as Unesco World Heritage Site. Preah Vihear will be high on the agenda of today's no censure debate.

The source said in the Cabinet will change the wording in the resolution from "map" of the Preah Vihear territory to "diagram."

They also asked the foreign ministry to add into the Thai-Cambodia Joint Communique the exact size of the Preah Vihear Temple to drive in the point that the area proposed to Unesco is not part of the disputed territory.

The government of Samak Sundaravej consistently defended its decision to endorsed Cambodia's new map to Unesco over the temple's territory because it not cover the 4.6 square kilometre overlapping areas with Thailand.

Phnom Penh's former map sparked protest from Thailand as it included the overlapping areas. Therefore it re-submitted the map.

However Samak government's endorsement of the new map drew strong criticism from the public particularly protesters who lay siege the Government House.

The map was made public late last week by Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, who claimed to have defended Thailand's sovereignty by preventing Cambodia from including the 4.6 square kilometre in the map to Unesco.

But in spite of revealing of the map, public protest continue amid a growing call for Noppadon's resignation.

Critics said the government should apply jointly with Cambodia because a significant portion of the Preah Vihear is situated on the Thai side of the border.

The proposal to rewrite the resolution was proposed by Agriculture Minister Somsak Prissanananthakul.

Somsak said on Tuesday the Cabinet would rewrite the Cabinet resolution over Preah Vihear to clearly state that the area that Cambodia is listing as a World Heritage site would not cover the overlapping area claimed by both sides.

"We must rewrite it to make it clear to prevent any problems in the future. We ask that the Cabinet resolution be rewritten and we will review it before it is printed,'' Somsak said.

The Hindu temple has been the subject of conflict between Thailand and Cambodia since last year when Bangkok opposed Phnom Penh's application to annex 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area claimed by both sides. The dispute was settled after Cambodia agreed last month to accept that only the temple belonged to Cambodia.

Si Sa Ket people have been protesting since June 22 accusing the Cabinet of endorsing Cambodian sovereignty over the temple after Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed to support Cambodia's proposal to apply for it to become a world heritage site.