Google To Reexamine Map Of Thai-cambodia Border Temple

[george]

Google to reexamine map of Thai-Cambodia border temple

PHNOM PENH: -- (AFP) - Internet giant Google has promised Cambodia it will review a map of an ancient temple at the centre of the country's border dispute with Thailand, according to a letter obtained by AFP Wednesday.

Cambodian authorities accused Google of being "professionally irresponsible" in a letter sent last week, because its Google Earth map depicts nearly half of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple as being in Thailand.

The Southeast Asian neighbours' troops have been in a standoff in the disputed territory since 2008, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.

"We are carefully reviewing the Government of Cambodia's objections regarding the depiction of Cambodian borders in Google Earth, and we plan to respond to your letter more fully in the very near future," said Google.

The letter, dated Tuesday, was signed by Google's head of government affairs in Asia Pacific, Ross LaJeunesse, and sent to Cambodian cabinet officials.

It added that its map data was provided by Tele Atlas, an international mapping company.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although the main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute.

Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over their border for decades, however nationalist tensions spilled over into violence in July 2008, when the Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

Cambodia made its complaint to Google as its premier Hun Sen visited areas near the disputed border, making fiery speeches that accused Thailand of invading his country.

Four soldiers were killed in clashes near the temple in 2008 and three more in a gunbattle last April. Smaller flare-ups continue to be reported between troops in the area, with the most recent exchange of fire on January 29.

The border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Relations between the neighbouring countries deteriorated further in November after Hun Sen appointed ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives abroad to escape a jail term for corruption, as an economic adviser.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-02-10

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[bkkjames]

Willing to wager half a can of diet coke that in a months time when you log on to see this area on google earth, it will be blurred.

[gotlost]

I just got threw looking at Google Earth. To me the photos were taken in 2005 and Preah Vihear Temple is well within Cambodia. So whats the fuss?

[hammered]

Should stop old Hun Sens head from exploding especially with analysts predicting that his masters Vietnamese economy may implode in a spiral of inflation.

[ding]

There are Cambodians furious over this issue, it seems. I worry about taking my Thai wife to Cambodia, even to see Angkor Wat.

[dangman]

comparing buddha's teachings.. to the fury and gunfights over a temple to his teachings..

is an ironic brain boggle

[slapout]

Tell the leader and all his minions to go out and stand on their (Cambodia's) preferred boundary and wave at the Google camera when it orbits overhead so the boundary can be adjusted as per requested.