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Published on April 11, 2008

Virachai Plasai, director-general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, summoned Cambodian Ambassador Ung Sean to receive the aide-memoire after Phnom Penh dispatched troops to the area over a month ago.

Thailand took the step because Cambodia had dishonoured a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 by both parties which bars them from making any changes in the area before the border can be demarcated, Virachai said.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Hindu temple belongs to Cambodia but the boundary line in Si Sa Ket's Kantaralak district remains unclear. The area of 4.6 square kilometres around the temple was claimed by both sides.

The ministry has lodged complaints with Cambodia before - in 2004 over the building of a road, in 2005 over the setting up of official outposts and a community, and in 2007 over the issuing of a decree to claim the area so it can be registered as a World Heritage Site.

Bangkok requested Phnom Penh to withdraw its armed forces and leave the area vacant until the completion of demarcation - expected in some 10 years.

The dispute over the overlapping area has prohibited Cambodia from registering the Hindu temple as a United Nations World Heritage Site as Thailand claims the proposed preservation area as its own.

"We did not oppose the proposal to list the ancient site as a world heritage site but Cambodia should not include the questionable territory in its proposal," Virachai said.

The two neighbours have set up a joint working group on the issue, suggesting a contemporary regime to supervise the area before allowing Phnom Penh to register it as a world heritage site, he said.

The protest yesterday was merely a matter of record in accordance with international law. It would not jeopardise mutual relations and the joint effort to solve the problem, he said.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation