About 1,000 supporters of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) or "Yellow-shirt " on Wednesday morning rallied and demanded the United Nations withdraw the World Heritage status of the Preah Vihear temple.

Thai "yellow-shirt" protestors participate in a rally demanding the delisting of the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO world heritage site in Bangkok June 22, 2011. About 1,000 supporters of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) or "Yellow-shirt " on Wednesday morning rallied and demanded the United Nations withdraw the World Heritage status of the Preah Vihear temple. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

The protesters rallied in front of the Bangkok office of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and demanded the UN body postpone the World Heritage Committee's deliberation of the management plan proposed by Cambodia.

In 1962, following a lengthy dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over ownership, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague awarded the temple to Cambodia. However, the Thai side claim the ownership of the 4.6 kilometer area that the temple situated.

Chamlong Srimuang, PAD co-leader, submitted a letter containing the demand addressed to the UNESCO head office in Paris through its Bangkok office.

Thai Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti is now being the head of the Thai delegation at the heritage committee's 35th session at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Suwit said on Wednesday that UNESCO World Heritage Committee ( WHC) may defer its consideration of Cambodia's management plan for Preah Vihear until Friday, pending a Thai-Cambodian joint resolution Thailand and Cambodia have begun talks to find a solution to their Preah Vihear dispute. The discussion was aimed at finding a joint solution to the disagreement related to the management plan for the Preah Vihear area as proposed by Cambodia.

In April, Cambodia asked the court to clarify its 1962 ruling on the ancient Hindu temple on its disputed border with Thailand following recent deadly armed clashes between the two neighboring countries.  

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet