Thailand believes Phnom Penh, as the host of the 37th World Heritage Committee (WHC) meeting, will not raise any issues concerning the centuries-old Preah Vihear temple when the assembly begins today.
Pithaya Pookaman, deputy minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment who heads the Thai delegation to the WHC meeting, said he was confident Phnom Penh would not table the controversial issue of the Preah Vihear temple as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague had yet to rule on the case.
"We believe that Phnom Penh will not ruin the atmosphere of the meeting," Mr Pithaya said.
Cambodia asked the ICJ in April, 2011, to interpret its 1962 judgement, which granted Cambodia territorial rights over Preah Vihear, and decide whether it included the 4.6 square kilometre disputed area around the ruins. Cambodia made the submission after border clashes with Thailand.
Mr Pithaya said relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok have improved considerably and both sides agreed that this conflict should be resolved through existing channels and mechanisms.
However, he said if Phnom Penh puts the Preah Vihear temple issue on any agenda, the Thai team would oppose it immediately.
"We are deputy chair of the World Heritage Committee meeting. This means we can see all the agendas for meetings every day. We can block it [the Preah Vihear temple issue] immediately," he said.
Mr Pithaya said he had close ties with Cambodia's deputy prime minister Sok An, who is also the WHC meeting's chairman. He said Sok An had assured him there would be no conflict between Thailand and Cambodia during the meeting, which ends on June 27.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia turned sour during the WHC meeting in Paris in 2009 as Cambodia had attempted to present a management plan for the temple for the committee's consideration. However, Thailand was concerned that it would cover the disputed 4.6 square kilometres.
Thailand failed to lobby the committee to drop the item, and then-natural resources and environment minister Suwit Khunkitti decided to walk out and declare Thailand's withdrawal from the WHC. The committee eventually decided to suspend the issue.
But when the Pheu Thai Party came to power in 2011, it decided to reinstate Thailand's WHC membership and started rebuilding relations with Cambodia.
To prepare for a worst-case scenario, the cabinet recently approved a move to oppose any Preah Vihear temple issue proposed by Cambodia, including a decision not to provide any cooperation related to the temple and to object to any funds granted for the temple's restoration.