Preah Vihear Temple

 Preah Vihear Temple is in the process of being listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But the temple is in a tense and tense situation between the two sides on the border. Thais visit the site mostly through their own country as ordinary tourists, regardless of who owns the centuries-old site. Cambodians have shown their patriotism by praying that this June, Preah Vihear Temple, which belongs to Cambodia, will indeed be included in the World Heritage List. Built on the top of the Dangrek mountain range, Preah Vihear Temple is a most valuable legacy, but it is the subject of dispute between the two kingdoms. A fine red-paved road no longer exists at the foot of the mountain. The rocky path begins to stretch, and as you reach the foot of the mountain, you see a sign from the demining agency Halo Trust warning you not to stray too far from the winding path. It’s easy to see why more people are coming to the temple from the Thai side…
Since early morning, you’ve seen the shadows of people walking up the mountain, stopping occasionally to catch their breath. The shadows are those of monks. After arriving, the monks walk around the temple gate, looking quite tired, wearing red safety belts. The monks know the way behind the temple, where they chant the Dhamma in a quiet way.
Khmer on the front lines
As the war over the temple’s “identity” has returned, Cambodians have started to visit the temple again. A Phnom Penh resident named Kong Vandy came to visit with his family. This is not his first time. In front of the Buddha on the temple wall, he prayed to God to help the temple be recognized as the property of the Khmer people. He muttered, “This temple was built by our ancestors. No country can claim it from us!” Then he stopped walking.
In 2003, a monk named Khan Yun came to live at the foot of this sacred mountain, which rises about 500 meters above the Cambodian plains. He observed that visitors to this iconic site showed a great deal of love for their homeland. “I heard them praying that this temple remain a Khmer heritage. It is normal. We do not want to lose our temple!”
Monument
But the future of the temple is not the only concern for these Buddhists. Land traders and businessmen have flocked to the site to offer offerings and incense to the monks, hoping that their businesses will continue to flourish. There, the prayers are all over the place.
A monk named Sok said, “A couple who wanted a child came to pray here, and later I saw them come back again to thank the spirit of the landowner who gave them a child according to their prayers…”
Thais are numerous
Every weekend, from eight in the morning, Thais come to visit in droves, traveling along the asphalt road from their country to the temple, which is a sacred heritage, and then continuing along the paths and stairs to the temple. They travel to this area near their border in large numbers, about 200 people each weekend. They have to pay 50 baht ($1.50) for the entrance fee, while foreigners have to pay $10. They always come as a family.
Mr. Sam Chhay, a Thai tour guide, admits that he is not very careful to clarify to his guests which country the temple belongs to. He corrected, “It seems too early to say… I have never read in any history book or seen on any map that this temple belongs to Cambodia.” He advised, “If this temple is in Cambodian territory, then they should restore it! I have difficulty bringing tourists here because the temple is old, dilapidated, and in some places even dangerous.”
Mr. Ros Heng, who has been in charge of the Preah Vihear border crossing since 2007, said that when he took office for a month, the Thai authorities decided to close the crossing for a week because they were dissatisfied with the ban on their soldiers from visiting the temple. He countered, “We absolutely do not allow soldiers in uniform to enter the tourist resort.” The presence of the soldiers could cause panic among tourists. If they want to visit the temple, they should dress as ordinary civilians!” He added, without wanting to be sarcastic, “The Thai side opens and closes the gate according to their whims… We are not worried at all. We still have tourists coming to visit!”
However, he acknowledged that the access road to the temple on the Cambodian side is difficult and that Cambodian tourists are not as numerous as Thai tourists. However, a development project is underway, under the responsibility of the Preah Vihear Provincial Authority.
Ms. Vandy Samnom said, “First, they need to organize a clean-up of the site. That way, Cambodians will be able to recognize the value of this heritage!” If the site is Incorporated by UNESCO, we hope that real development work will begin.
Was the baby really born at Chong Sao?
The baby’s real name is Bun Yalin, but here everyone calls him Chong Sao, which literally means “end of the asphalt road.” That’s because Yalin was born on the Cambodian-Thai border. Touch Natalie, the baby’s mother, recounts that when her stomach pains got worse, she went to the Thai border gate to ask for permission to cross into Thailand to give birth with a doctor. “It was late at night, but they didn’t care. They said they would never let me cross! This was revenge because during the day, the Cambodian side forbids Thai soldiers from visiting temples,” the young mother recalled. She gave birth alone under the moonlight at the end of the asphalt road in Thailand that runs all the way to the border gate. Today, Yalin is two months old and a baby will be given a serious promise. The baby’s mother had predicted, “It was born in Thailand with difficulty. When it grows up, it will reclaim this land that is ours!” Other legends…
A female T-shirt seller near the Preah Vihear temple demanded, “One thousand riel, sir!” The man was reluctant to pay because he had not bought anything yet, but was surprised by the woman’s demands. The seller pointed to the bathroom where he had just been. To convince the man to pay, she added, “The water here is very expensive!” The man refused, claiming that he had not used the water. The seller insisted that a mere one thousand riel could get him arrested. Fearing that something worse would happen, the man paid reluctantly. The three toilets are the only ones left built by the Thais when they controlled the site. The Cambodians agreed to keep them. The rest were demolished to remove all traces.
Some history
The Preah Vihear temple was built from the 9th to the 12th centuries and was administered by Thailand from 1949 to 1952. On June 15, 1962, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the temple was Cambodian territory. Since 2001, Cambodia has been applying to have the temple inscribed on the World Heritage List through UNESCO. In 2007, the temple was recognized as a World Heritage Site, but Philippe Delanghe, head of the Cultural Unit of the Cambodian UNESCO Office, said that Cambodian authorities were asked to prepare “a detailed report on each stage of the management approach of the site.” The report was submitted in late January to the World Heritage Committee. Any additional information regarding the dossier that the Committee requires will be submitted to the office by May 15. The decision on the inscription of the Preah Vihear temple will be announced on July 4-5 in Quebec.