Cambodia Calls For UN Buffer Zone At Thai Border

Cambodia's Prime Minister has called for a UN buffer zone to be instated around the area containing the Preah Vihear temple which has been at the center of a century-old border dispute. The 11th century Hindu temple has been the focus for many Thai nationalists for centuries. The dispute began over the border territory in which the temple stands. For many centuries, French colonial maps showed the temple as belonging to Cambodia, but in later decades Thailand said the maps were not official and therefore invalid. In 1962, the International Court of Justice granted the temple to Cambodia. Thailand accepts Cambodia's sovereignty of Preah Vihear, however the land surrounding the temple is still disputed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12381052

Dennie Whitlow