SEAArch – The Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog

The Bangkok Post reports on how some academics in Thailand are counselling a more pragmatic and less emotionally-charged approach to handling the Preah Vihear dispute, which erupted in 2007 when UNESCO designated the border temple as a World Heritage Site under Cambodia. The award has become a political hot potato in Thailand, where nationalists have seen the award as a breach in sovereignty and has led to the worsening of relations between the two countries.

Academics want pragmatic approach over border row
Bangkok Post, 09 August 2010
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Preah Vihear became a source of contention again for Thailand and Cambodia during the recent World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil a couple of weeks ago when Cambodia submitted a proposal to solely manage the controversial site, much to the chagrin of their Thai neighbours leading to protests. The committee decided to postpone any plan raised by Cambodia on the basis that there was too little time to review it and it will be looked into again next year. Hopefully, this will lead to dialogue between the two countries in jointly managing the site, particularly in demarcating the borders in the vicinity of Preah Vihear which is still in dispute.

Preah Vihear to be raised at heritage meet
Bangkok Post, 22 July 2010

Thailand and Cambodia tussle over World Heritage Site Preah Vihear Temple
CNNGo.com, 27 July 2010

Protest against Preah Vihear temple listing
Bangkok Post, 27 July 2010

Thai cabinet opposes Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple management plan
MCOT, 28 July 2010

Abhisit threatens to reconsider UNESCO ties over Preah Vihear
Phnom Penh Post, 29 July 2010

Thailand may quit UN body over temple issue
Laos News Net, 29 July 2010

Preah Vihear’s borders ‘must come first’
Bangkok Post, 29 July 2010

Temple tension mounts
Phnom Penh Post, 30 July 2010

WHC postpones decision on temple plan to next year
Bangkok Post, 31 July 2010

PM tells media to study UNESCO resolution as Cambodia claims victory on Preah Vihear issue
MCOT News, 31 July 2010

Temple Row Sours Thai-Cambodian Ties—Again
The Irrawady, 31 July 2010

PM urges Thais to support government on ancient temple
MCOT News, 01 August 2010

A new panel comprising of locals, the Fine Arts Department and scholars will be set up to manage the Ayutthaya World Heritage Site, in response to complaints that not enough public consultation has been fed into the site’s management.

photo credit: nasrulekram

Panel will manage ancient ruins
Bangkok Post, 23 July 2010
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25 sites in Thailand, covering temples, palaces and a rock art site, will be included in Thailand’s list of areas of historical interest.

Temples, palaces to be listed
Bangkok Post, 16 June 2010
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Liz Price alerted me to this website raising awareness of an illegal quarry in Krabi, Thailand. The limestone hills of Thailand contain several important prehistoric sites, including rock art and the Lang Longrien shelter but many of these hills have yet to be explored.

The attention of “sosKrabi” is focused today on a quarry which has been recently open without “legal” authorization. This new quarry destroyed one of the prettiest assembly lines which characterize the area. These moutains shelter still unexplored prehistoric caves in which are important prehistoric vestiges, more than 40.000 years for some…!

Capped by rare remainders of primary forests hitherto saved, these mountains are in the hands of Bangkok rich companies who grant illegally the rights to reduce them in several aggregates (stones, materials for cement, constructions, etc).

Last bastions for the wildlife, they are seriously threatened, by cupidities of men without scruples whose scandalous actions are carried out discreetly and most if the inhabitants are not informed by the reality woven in these landscapes which are stupidly destroyed.

To find out more and how you can lend your support, visit SOS for Krabi.

Students from Thailand’s Kasetsart University have completed a digital recreation of Wat Chaiwattanaram in Ayutthaya, opening the possibilities for using 3D computer models to aid in conservation practice and tourism. Note: the link in the story doesn’t seem to work, though.

Students create virtual-world temple
The Nation, 03 June 2010
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Alison shares this spectacular 2000-year-old dog burial excavated in Ban Non Wat earlier in the year. “Sampson” was uncovered by a team from James Cook University and goes to show that dogs have been man’s best friend for a long time coming! Alison also posts her observations on the dog burial here.

Lovely Bones
JCNN, April 2010

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