Getting carried away on a wave of nationalism

Politicians and political activists are not doing the public any favours by using the Preah Vihear temple controversy to incite an unhealthy form of patriotic zeal

Published on July 3, 2008

It is easy to stir up irrational nationalistic fervour when people are insecure, and therefore more prone to manipulation by irresponsible politicians or rabble-rousers. The case in point is the Preah Vihear temple controversy, which has been blown out of proportion by some politicians and political activists.

It's true, people do have reason to doubt the way the government has handled this politically sensitive issue.

So far, it has failed to refute allegations that its support for Cambodia to get the Unesco World Heritage listing for Preah Vihar temple could be linked to the business interests of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The pro-Thaksin government has consistently failed to shed its poor public image and is seen as nothing more than a puppet that panders to every whim and fancy of Thaksin, who was barred from politics for five years when his Thai Rak Thai Party was dissolved last year.

The man who still pulls the strings

The idea of a government that puts the personal interests of some greedy politicians before the country is outrageous.

The problem is that the Samak government, which controls an overwhelming majority of the House of Representatives, has not done enough to clearly explain the issue to placate the suspicious public.

A group of anti-government political activists were right in seeking and obtaining an Administrative Court injunction against the implementation of the Cabinet's resolution in support of Cambodia's plan to unilaterally apply for the World Heritage listing.

Next the Administrative Court will be looking into the Cabinet's resolution to determine if the government has compromised Thailand's national interests, particularly the country's territorial integrity in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple.

Although the dispute over the sovereignty of the temple area claimed by both countries was settled by the International Court of Justice in 1962, which ruled in favour of Cambodia, there are some lingering doubts about different interpretations of the ruling regarding areas surrounding the ancient Hindu temple. The main access to the historical ruins is located in Thai territory.

However, politicians and political activists who suggested that Thailand might one day seek to overturn the 1962 ruling and reassert its sovereignty over the temple were promoting unrealistic expectations and inciting an unnecessary upsurge of an unhealthy form of nationalism.