Battle for Preah Vihear resumes at The Hague

The final chapter of Thailand and Cambodia's 51-year battle for Preah Vihear temple...

Wikipedia:
Background Information on Preah Vihear temple

UNESCO:
World Heritage Listing and related information on Temple of Preah Vihear

International Court of Justice:
Protocols, hearings and documents on Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand)

Bangkok Post:
Local news in Thailand
International Court resumes temple hearing Monday
Cambodia, Thailand begin argument before ICJ on disputed area near Preah Vihear
Thailand 'stoked' border conflict
Thailand: Cambodia has an agenda
ICJ's verdict owed respect
Cambodia accused of lies
Thailand warns ICJ about temple map
Poll: People concerned on border war
No Conclusion over Preah Vihear

The Diplomat:
Preah Vihear temple: Redrawing Jungle lines

BBC:
Preah Vihear temple: UN court hears Thai-Cambodia disput

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Som tam - Thailand's Green papaya salad

Spicy green papaya salad or "som tam" is a typical Isaan or northeaster Thai dish - loved by locals for its delicious, refreshing spiciness. The dish is well know in neighboring Laos as 'tam mak hoong' and as 'bok l'hong' in Cambodia. 

Som Tam is listed as number 6 on World's 50 most delicious foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.


The spicy green papaya salad combines all for different tastes - sour (lime), spicy (dired chili), salty (fermented fish sauce) and sweetness (sugar and sometimes fruits).

All ingredients are chopped in pieces and added to a mortar where they are pounded and mixed - "som tam" translates as "sour pounded" while the Lao and Khmer name translates into pounded papaya.

As green papaya is used for the dish, the overall taste is rather sour than sweet with a lovely crispy and crunchy texture - a dish like heaven in the tropical climate of Southeast Asia...

It is not uncommon to be asked or offered to try a little in order to prepare the dish to your liking. While in central Thailand locals referred to the salad as "som tam Thai" or "som tam" in Laos or Isaan people use the term Lao. But careful - unlike "som tam Thai" - "som tam Lao or tam mak hoong" comes with an additional ingredient - fermented fish sauce - a taste of its own.

True lovers would not dare to eat this salad without fermented fish sauce, but for beginners the taste might be  strong and take a while to get familiar with to say the least...

While in Bangkok's restaurants customers will usually get "som tam Thai", in Bangkok's road it is better to expects it's Lao/Isaan variation - usually prepared by immigrants from upcountry. This traditional Lao/Isaan style green papaya salad is a good as it can get. Beware of chili's! Expect lots of them...

Ingredients:

• the most important one : fresh, raw and green papaya

Add to the papaya slices some or most of the following items, make sure you pound them well:

• Chili
• Sugar (traditionally palm sugar)
• Garlic
• Lime
• Fish sauce
• Crabs
• Shrimp paste
• Pla ra / padaek (fermented fish sauce)
• Tomatoes
• Yardlong beans
• Hog Plums
• Raw Thai eggplant

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Phimai Historical Park - Isaan's Khmer Trail

The Phimai Historical Park (Thai: ปราสาทหินพิมาย)  located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province hosts one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand.

The temple is believed to be build on the ends of an ancient Khmer highway from Angkor, nowadays Siem Reap in Cambodia, leading to the Khorat plateau.

The temple ruin area of Wat Phimai is similar in size as that of Angkor Wat. Phimai was an important temple, build in the late 11th to the late 12th century. In the same era temples as Baphuon, Bayon and Angkor were build. Interestingly, even though the Khmer were Hindu, Phimai was built as a Buddhist temple, as Buddhism in the Lao dominated Khorat area dated back to the 7th century.

The French geographer Etienne Aymonier was the first one to make an inventory of the temple in 1901. Later Phimai became a Historical Park, managed by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. The Park was opened by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on April 12, 1989.

To reach Prasat Hin Phimai from the city of Khorat, head north along Highway 2 for 50 kilometers. Turn right and follow a sign to the Phimai Historical Park. 10 kilometers further down the Highway 206, you'll arrive at the town. From Khon Kaen it's about 120 kilometers south on Highway 2, take a left turn and follow Highway 206 until you reach Phimai town.

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Ongoing dispute, but Ta Muen Thom temple is open again

Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin is open again for visitors. Although the border and temple dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is still ongoing, it has been calm for almost two months and there has been no violence. The temple can be visited between 9am and 3pm daily.

The border dispute between the two neighboring countries is now staged at the International Court of Justice and the UNESCO. Thailand wants to solve the dispute by diplomatic efforts.

The first group of domestic visitors has return to the temple ruins. Visitors intending to visit the temple area have to inform the Thai military in advance of their visit in their own interest.

The Thai army removed earlier erected fences who blocked access to the temple form the Cambodian side - an act which will certainly help to relieve tensions along the border.

An earlier article about the border dispute can be read here.

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It is calm again in Southern Isaan

One has to go back in history to understand the problem along the Cambodian and Thai border. Cambodia first has been occupied by France in the past. Thailand and Cambodia use therefore different maps from the past to define their common border.
Cambodia then suffered under the tyranny of the Khmer Rouge regime, which had its final stronghold at this border...

As a legacy of the late Khmer Rouge regime, the Thai - Cambodian border area is still heavily mined. As a result the common border was never properly demarcated, although both countries worked hard to resolve this issues.

The status of disputed areas around Preah Viharn /Preah Vihear and some other temples of Khmer origin remains unresolved for the moment.

The ruling of an International court states that Preah Viharn /Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia - a fact which Thailand has accepted.

After the latest border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, both countries have today agreed to send Indonesian observers to the disputed area. They will monitor the border and make sure that the ceasefire between the two neighboring countries remains intact.

The Chong Jom border pass connecting the two countries has opened again and borer trade between Thai and Cambodian vendors continued as before the clashes. Vendors reopened their stalls at a local market near the border pass on the Thai side.

Living in Isaan now for many years, I am relived that this step of monitoring the border has been taken and that live continues along the border.

In fact it was always save to travel to Isaan as the disputed border areas are fare away from any tourist side in both countries (except Preah Viharn /Preah Vihear). I also strongly believe that Thailand and Cambdodia will find a solution in the not to distant future.

Isaan is a great place to travel as people are very welcoming and charming. Great National Parks, bustling cities and abundant nature and culture await you.

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Khonephapheng waterfall in Southern Laos Sipandone area

The Khonephapheng waterfall (Lao: ຂກົກນເກະ ຜກະ ຜເກະງ) is located on the Laotian part of the Mekong River in the Southernmost province of Lao PDR - Champassak.

The Khonephapheng waterfall are closed to the border of Cambodia.

The Khonephapheng waterfall is the main reason, why the Mekong river is not navigable into Thailand, Burma and China.
The French colonialists made in the late 19th century several efforts to make the falls navigable but all failed.
The only successful attempt by the French was made possible by building two ports, one in the South of Khone Island (below the falls) and one in the Eastern shore of Det island (above the falls), linking the two islands with a bridge and connecting the two ports with a small railway. By doing so, the French were able to circumvent the steepest rapids and allow trans-Mekong-shipment.

The total height of the Khonephapheng falls is 21 meters in several cascades stretching over 10 kilometers of the Mekong river's length. The average discharge of the cataract is nearly 11,000 cubic meters per second, making the Khonephapheng falls the largest waterfall in terms of volume in Southeast Asia.

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Lush river life... some impressions...

Ferry crossing the Mekong River in Ban Houay Xay, Bokeo Province, Northern Laos.

Boys playing football on the banks of the Nam Ou in Ban Soph Van, Luang Prabang Province, Northern Laos.

Ban Nong Khiow at the Nam Ou, Luang Prabang Province, Northern Laos.

Fisherman checking his net on Nam Khan, near Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province, Northern Laos.

Training for the boat racing festival?, Nam Khan, Luang Prabang Province, Northern Laos.

Children enjoying the 2008 flood at Nam Khan Riverside, Luang Prabang town, Laos.

Girl watching the 2008 flooding in Luang Prabang town, Luang Prabang Province, Northern Laos.

Boats in Luang Prabang, Laos.

Boat racing festivals are held in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand during the months of September and October.

Flooting restaurant in Pakse on the Sedone River, Champasak Province, Southern Laos.

Boat landing to cross the Mekong river, opposite Ban Champasak (near UNESCO World Heritage site of Vat Phou), Champasak Province, Southern Laos.

Sunset over the Mekong, Khong Island, Sipandone area, Champasak Province, Southern Laos.

Abundant fish life, market on Khong Island, Champasak Province, Southern Laos.

Fisherman fixing his traps, Preah Rumkel community, Stung Treng Province, Cambodia.

Ferry boat in Stung Treng town, Stung Treng Province, Cambodia.

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Laos and Vietnam - border checkpoint improved

The upgraded border checkpoint in the South of Laos' Attapeu province and Vietnam 's Kon Tum province is expected to boost economic growth.

The Lao Phu Keua checkpoint is being constructed with a grant worth US$ 1.6 million from the Vietnamese government.

The checkpoint is scheduled to be fully operational within one year.

The Phu Keua checkpoint is located in the far east of of Attapeu province in the Phouvong district, which is 113 km from the provincial capital. The newly upgraded Phu Keua checkpoint will link with the Vietnamese Bo Y checkpoint.

Before only locals were able to cross the border by using this checkpoint.

It is believed, that the new International checkpoint will contribute to economic grow in the region.

The checkpoint will link the four southern most provinces of Laos (Saravan, Xekong, Attapeu and Champassak) with Vietnam and thus facilitate the transportation of good between the two countries .

Last the Phu Keua checkpoint serves as part of the east-west economic corridor not only Laos, but also Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.

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