Is there petrol lying under the venerable stones?
The temple, and nothing else. Both parties now seem to be singing on the same hymn sheets, but the time it took and the heavy sledding of the whole matter, which had already been settled more than four decades ago suggest that lengthy discussions have yet to come in the future. Beyond the redefinition of territorial boundaries, undertaken by a mixed team when both sides agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in 2000, lies the tricky coastal disagreement, as well as the petrol argument, which are still unsolved. The Thai opposition party accused its government of having sold off Preah Vihear in exchange for concessions on gas and petrol, which former deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra could be in charge of. Those concerned denied any involvement and today, the Cambodian and Thai persons in charge proclaimed with confidence that all those cases were independent. Religious and cultural heritage, nationalism and petrol… all of this could well create an explosive mix.
