DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Thailand has no one to blame but itself” plus 9 more

Chulalongkorn University political scientist Puangthong Pawakapan believes the decision to withdraw Thailand from the World Heritage Convention will cast a negative light on the country's image. The academic shares her opinions with AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK on the issue.

What's wrong with Thailand's foreign policy on the world stage?

We have to look at the overall problem. Thai and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over Preah Vihear since Cambodia managed to get the ancient temple listed as a World Heritage Site in 2008. Thailand's opposition has hurt its image. The country is viewed as losing a boxing match, but it and its fans refuse to accept the defeat.

Does a conflict over the 4.6-sq km disputed area (near Preah Vihear temple) not carry enough weight for the WHC to listen to Thailand?

The Abhisit government explained that the listing of the temple and its management plan has allegedly encroached on Thai soil. But the government failed to produce clear evidence showing the alleged encroachment.

If we look at a map submitted by Cambodia for the listing of the temple, the listing has not included the 4.6-sq km disputed area. This area had been removed from Cambodia's application since the Samak Sundaravej government was in office.

Only the temple and areas on the eastern and western sides of it were listed as a World Heritage site. Evidence about the alleged encroachment must be produced when Mr Suwit opposed the listing before the WHC. But I think we have no evidence, only words.

Why did Thailand fail to lobby other membership countries to back its stance?

It's hard to lobby them as we have to produce clear evidence about alleged encroachment. The kingdom should have opposed the management plan before the WHC held a meeting.

The WHC had invited Thailand to participate in a panel to consider Cambodia's management plan but we refused so we had no opportunity to oppose the plan at that time. It's too late to cast an opposition when the WHC meeting [had been] called.

Wasn't the government aware of such procedures?

I think the government was fully aware, but opted not to tell the public. I don't know why it had to make public its opposition to Cambodia's management plan during the WHC meeting.

Cambodia had submitted the plan in February last year.

Thailand also has its representative on the WHC and should have know what was going on.

The management plan is not confidential as its details are displayed on several websites.

Which country has [gained] an advantage and which one stands to lose over Thailand's withdrawal from the WHC?

Most of members of the WHC show an inclination to support Cambodia. Thailand's image over the issue has been badly affected.

This prompts other countries to back Cambodia despite the fact that they don't like Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen for being an authoritarian. Even foreign media based in Cambodia also dislike Hun Sen, but they support Cambodia over the issue. (Source Bangkok Post)

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China's stocks opened slightly higher on Tuesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.05 percent to open at 2,759.71.
The Shenzhen Component Index opened at 12,056.53, up 0.25 percent.

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Following are the central parity rates of the Chinese currency Renminbi (RMB) against seven major currencies announced Tuesday by the China Foreign Exchange Trading System:
Currency           Unit          Middle Price (in RMB yuan)
U.S. Dollar        100                647.23
Euro               100                925.38
Japanese Yen       100                8.0147
Hong Kong Dollar   100                83.110
British Pound      100                1,034.63
Malaysian Ringgit  47.178             100
Ruble              435.86             100
The central parity of RMB against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of enquired prices from all market makers before the opening of the market in each business day.
The central parity of RMB against the other six currencies is based on the central rate of RMB against the U.S. dollar of the same business day as well as the exchange rates of the six currencies against the U.S. dollar at 9 a.m. of the same business day in the international foreign exchange market.

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese currency Renminbi, or the yuan,strengthens 27 basis points to 6.4723 per U.S. dollar on Tuesday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trading system.
In China's foreign exchange spot market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 0.5 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.
The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices before the opening of the market each business day.

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrived in Beijing early Tuesday morning, kicking off a state visit to China as a guest of Chinese President Hu Jintao.
During his stay in China, leaders of the two countries will discuss how to consolidate China-Sudan relations and expand cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said recently at a regular news briefing.
The two sides will also exchange views on Sudan's ongoing north-south peace process and the Darfur issue, Hong said.

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping called upon Party organizations on Monday to set an example for the public by following policies and serving the people.
Xi, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the call when meeting representatives of outstanding grass-roots Party organizations and Party members from departments and organs directly under the CPC Central Committee.
Xi urged Party organizations at various levels to adapt themselves to the new trend and missions, and set an example in implementing Party policies and serving the people.
Xi also called upon these organizations to make more efforts in pushing forward the country's reform and innovation drive while maintaining high morale.
He urged various units to give significant attention to Party building and boosting their members' working abilities.
A total of 67 outstanding grass-roots Party organizations and 216 individuals were honored on Monday ahead of the 90th founding anniversary of the CPC.

HANGZHOU, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Administrators will restrict the number of exclusive clubs and tear down a protruding hotel near east China's scenic West Lake in order to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site from excessive commercial exploitation, a local official said Monday.
West Lake, long touted as a paradise for its breathtaking landscape, was inscribed into the World Heritage List list at the 35th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Paris last Friday.
"We are committed to turning West Lake into a World Heritage 'without threshold' by strictly restricting the number of hi-end business venues," said Wang Shuifa, an official of the city of Hangzhou where the West Lake is located, at a press conference Monday.
Wang, who was in charge of the World Heritage application program for West Lake, said hi-end venues will not account for more than 5 percent of all business venues around the West Lake, banning venue operators from using membership or minimum consumption to exclude clients.
The official said government officials are also considering tearing down the East Wing of the Shangri-la Hotel Hangzhou when the land-lease contract with the hotel operator ends in 2035.
The building is too high and blocks the view of the lake, Wang said, adding that the plan to tear it down has not been finalized.
Wang said a ceiling on height will be set for buildings around the lake.
The government will also improve infrastructure and site management to avoid congestions caused by the influx of tourists at peak travel seasons.
Statistics show that about 30 million tourists visit West Lake each year, with the peak of tourist arrival hitting 2 million per day.

The following are China news stories moved by Xinhua News Agency as of 16:00 GMT, June 27:

TOP STORIES
* China Focus: Top legislature scrutinizes government expenses budget to curb corruption
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China has put central government expenses on officials' overseas trips, vehicle purchases and receptions under the top legislature's special review for the first time in a move to curb extravagant public spending.
* Groups, individuals honored for outstanding performance in handling Taiwan affairs
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs authorities honored groups and individuals for their outstanding performance in handling affairs concerning Taiwan at a commendation ceremony held in Beijing on Monday.
* Seminar in Beijing marks 40th anniversary of Kissinger's first China visit
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Forty years after former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's secret trip to China, more than 100 diplomats and scholars gathered at a seminar held in Beijing on Monday to celebrate the mission that paved the way for renewed ties between China and the United States.
* China to amend Military Service law to recruit more college students
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Monday started reviewing a draft amendment to the country's military conscription law for the first time in 13 years with the purpose of recruiting more college students.X   * Central government departments to publicize detailed budgets
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Minister of Finance Xie Xuren said on Monday that all of the country's 98 central government departments will unveil their budgets for this year, which will include expenditures for overseas travel, receptions and official cars.

FINANCE & BUSINESS
* China's local government debts exceed 10 trillion yuan
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- China announced the size of its local governments' debts for the first time on Monday, which experts said will ease concerns over systemic financial risks.
* China's industrial businesses' profits up 27.9 pct in January-May
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Profits for China's industrial businesses rose 27.9 percent year-on-year in the first five months of this year to hit 1.92 trillion yuan (296.80 billion U.S. dollars), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Monday.
* China's industrial businesses' profits up 27.9 pct in January-May
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Profits for China's industrial businesses rose 27.9 percent year-on-year in the first five months of this year to hit 1.92 trillion yuan (296.80 billion U.S. dollars), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Monday.

FEATURES
* China Focus: Trains fly on Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway
by Xinhua Writer Zhu Shaobin
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) - Like a main artery, the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway connects the heart of China with its vital areas.
The 1,318-kilometer link, starting from Beijing and ending at Shanghai, chains together the country' s prosperous Pan-Bohai and Yangtze River Delta economic zones, speeding up the movement of people, goods, information and capital.
Half a century ago, it would normally take two days for a single-way trip between the Chinese capital in the north and the eastern metropolis of Shanghai.
* China Exclusive: Tale of an "apple village head"
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- "Wanna be rich? Grow apples; Wanna be super rich? Raise pigs. Wanna be super, super rich? Grow apples and raise pigs." The slogan is worded by Ye Weiqiang, a college graduated "village head," to sell his get-rich "bible" to farmers.
* Xinhua Insight: Christianity expands turf in Red China
by Xinhua writers Ma Guihua and Wang Aihua
NANJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Every Sunday morning, at St. Paul's Church in downtown Nanjing, a girl in her early 20s sits quietly in a front-row pew, listening intently to the priest. She lowers her head at times to pray, looking utterly serene.
* Xinhua Insight: Chinese tourism to Japan rebounds after quake despite nuclear worries
by Xinhua writers Ni Yuanjin and Yan Ping
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan will shorten its group visa approval process for Chinese travelers effective from July 1 in order to stimulate  slumping tourism in the wake of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis that hit the country in March this year.

LONDON, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Following are the paths to the men's quarterfinals at Wimbledon (prefix number denotes seeding; matches being played on Wednesday):
1-Rafael Nadal, Spain, vs 10-Mardy Fish, United States
Nadal
1st rd: bt Michael Russell, United States, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Ryan Sweeting, United States, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Gilles Muller, Luxemburg, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 6-0
4th rd: bt 24-Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4

Fish
1st rd: bt Marcel Granollers, Spain, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4
2nd rd: bt Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Robin Haase, Netherlands, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 1-1 - retired
4th rd: 6-Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4

4-Andy Murray, Britain, vs Feliciano Lopez, Spain
Murray
1st rd: bt Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Spain, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0
2nd rd: bt Tobias Kamke, Germany, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5
3rd rd: bt Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
4th rd: bt 17-Richard Gasquet, France, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2

Lopez
1st rd: bt Michael Berrer, Germany, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
2nd rd: bt Rainer Schuettler, Germany, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2
3rd rd: bt 8-Andy Roddick, United States, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 6-4
4th rd: bt Lukasz Kubot, Poland, 3-6, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-5

12-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, vs 3-Roger Federer, Switzerland
Tsonga
1st rd: bt Go Soeda, Japan, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2
2nd rd: bt Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (8)
3rd rd: bt Fernando Gonzalez, Chile, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
4th rd: bt David Ferrer, Spain, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (1)

Federer
1st rd: bt Mikhail Kukushkin, Kazakhstan, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Adrian Mannarino, France, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
3rd rd: bt 28-David Nalbandian, Argentina, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
4th rd: bt 18-Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3

Bernard Tomic, Australia, vs 2-Novak Djokovic, Serbia
Tomic
1st rd: bt 29-Nikolay Davydenko, Russia, 7-5, 6-3, 7-5
2nd rd: bt Igor Andreev, Russia, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
3rd rd: bt 5-Robin Soderling, Sweden, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5
4th rd: bt Xavier Malisse, Belgium, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4

Djokovic
1st rd: bt Jeremy Chardy, France, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1
2nd rd: bt Kevin Anderson, South Africa, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
3rd rd: bt 32-Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
4th rd: bt 19-Michael Llodra, France, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3

PARIS, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Following are the results from athletics meeting held at Metz, France on Monday:
Men
100 meters
1. James Ellington, Britain, 10.23 seconds
2. Idrissa Adam, Cameroon, 10.31
3. Hannes Dreyer, South Africa, 10.42

200m
1. James Ellington, Britain, 20.52 seconds
2. Simon Magakwe, South Africa, 20.74
3. Sebastian Ernst, Britain, 20.78

400m
1. Hafidhou Attoumani, France, 48.66 seconds
2. Sven Fischer, Luxemburg, 49.41
3. Anthony Michel, France, 50.09

800m
1. Job Kinyor, Kenya, one minute and 45.45 seconds
2. Yury Borzakovsky, Russia, 1:45.92
3. Hamid Oualich, France, 1:47.26

1000m
1. Patricio Pereira, France, 2:31.14
2. Dominik Werhan, Germany, 2:31.81
3. Anas Ben Hajra, France, 2:35.19

3000m
1. Elroy Gelant, South Africa, 7:41.59
2. Arega Dawit Wolde, Ethiopia, 7:42.65
3. Yusuf Biwott, Kenya, 7:44.65

3000m steeplechase
1. Edwin Molepo, South Africa, 8:26.82
2. Hassan Oubassour, France, 8:27.49
3. Abdelatif Hadjam, France, 8:33.58

Hammer
1. Pavel Kryvitski, Belarus, 77.80 meters
2. Yury Shayunou, Belarus, 76.82
3. Szymon Ziolkowski, Poland, 75.78

Triple jump
1. Issa Nima, Algeria, 16.46m
2. Gaetan Saku Bafuanga, France, 16.37
3. Jaroslav Dobrovosdky, Slovakia, 16.16

Women
100m
1. Veronique Mang, France, 11.41 seconds
2. Ayodele Ikuesan, France, 11.72
3. Ale Neumiarzhytskaya, Belarus, 11.77

1500m
1. Myriam Wangari, Kenya, 4 minutes and 12.84 seconds
2. Denise Krebs, Germany, 4:16.36
3. Mapaseka Makhanya, South Africa, 4:16.77

3000m steeplechase
1. Justyna Korytkowska, Poland, 9:48.67
2. Valeriya Mara, Ukraine, 9:50.51
3. Mariya Shatalova, Ukraine, 9:54.97

Pole vault
1. Marion Fiack, France, 4.12m
2. Loes De Neveu, Belgium, 3.82
3. Sandra Helena Ribeiro Homo, France, 3.82