opposition leader accused government of cover up sovereignty lost

Opposition and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Abhisit accused the government of distorting the truth over the Preah Vihear temple. Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said there is no conflict of interest.

Opposition and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday charged that the government was bent on misleading the public by distorting information over the Preah Vihear temple.

Mr Abhisit also called on fellow MPs to cast votes of no-confidence against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama in a bid to preserve Thailand's sovereignty which he said had virtually been given up when the cabinet on June 17 endorsed Cambodia's map of the ancient temple and the joint statement over it.

The documents will be used by Phnom Penh to have World Heritage Committee members under the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) consider its bid for the temple to gain World Heritage site status. The committee meeting starts on July 2 in Quebec.

Mr Noppadon said Thailand planned to separately propose that the Sra Trao reservoir and other ancient structures relating to Preah Vihear, be listed. But he said this plan could not be completed in time for the Quebec meeting.

He denied the idea was aimed at deflecting pressure from the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy and those criticising Thailand's support for Cambodia's attempt to gain World Heritage status for Preah Vihear.

MPs will vote in the no-confidence debate tomorrow.

In the two-day censure debate which kicked off yesterday, Mr Abhisit accused the government of distorting the truth when it claimed the Thai team of lawyers accepted Cambodia's map in the 1962 legal battle over the temple in the International Courts of Justice.

Mr Abhisit said the Thai lawyers, led by the late M.R. Seni Pramoj, had never accepted Cambodia's map presented to the World Court in The Hague.

He said the court ruled in favour of Cambodia on the grounds that Thailand never protested against Cambodia's map until the dispute was brought to the court.

"The court then ruled that Thailand's failure to protest against [Cambodia's] map was tantamount to legal acceptance of the map. Fortunately, the court never touched on border disputes," he said.

Mr Abhisit said that shortly after the court's ruling in 1962 the Thai government issued a statement in which it said it would reserve the right to seek a review while observing the court's ruling.

He said the government's statement showed Thailand's intention to seek the return of the Preah Vihear temple when the opportunity arose.

The current administration's endorsement of the Cambodian map was giving up the rights that Thailand had always upheld, he said.

Mr Abhisit also lambasted the government for its failure to seek parliamentary approval before it signed a joint statement with Cambodia over the proposed listing of the temple.

He said the government exceeded its power in doing so and was in violation of Article 190 of the constitution as the joint statement would have an impact on the country's sovereignty.

Mr Noppadon on June 18 signed the joint statement with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

Mr Noppadon and Foreign Ministry legal experts have argued that the joint statement did not need parliament's endorsement because it will have no effect on Thai sovereignty or territory.

In his defence last night, Mr Noppadon said the ministry closely consulted the armed forces before deciding to endorse the Cambodian map. There was no conflict of interest behind the Thai government's decision, he added.

The prime minister stressed that the temple belonged to Cambodia which had the right to seek the temple's listing.

Thailand, on the other hand, had succeeded in persuading Cambodia to list only the temple, not the 4.6 sq km overlapping area, he said, noting that it was important to maintain a healthy relationship with Phnom Penh.

Mr Samak said the Preah Vihear temple had become a controversial issue as intended by some politicians.

He warned that if it was allowed to be politicised further, it would sour the Thai-Cambodian ties and it was worrying Thai people living in Cambodia.

"I can tell you the stir-up is successful. Don't you know Thai people over there can't sleep?" the prime minister said.

He also said the Democrats were irresponsible in playing the nationalistic card at the expense of bilateral relations.