Thailand's Phra Viharn National Park reopened

SI SA KET, May 4 (TNA) - Thailand's Khao Phra Viharn National Park in Kantaralak District of Si Sa Ket in the Northeast, bordering Cambodia, has been reopened to international tourists, after its temporary closure since early last month. A mass rally organized by a civic group against a case concerning the ownership of a contentious area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple along the Thai-Cambodian border, earlier filed by Phnom Penh with the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ), prompted the Thai authorities to announce the temporary closure of the Khao Phra Viharn National Park as a precaution. Meanwhile, the atmosphere along the Thai-Cambodian border has remained calm, as neither side is creating any movement with their troops. In another border development, Thai authorities are pushing for the establishment of the Singh-korn (สิงขร) Border Checkpoint in Muang District of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province as a new permanent border pass with Myanmar, after the neighbouring country announced its opening of a new permanent border crossing at Baan Mudong, set on May 8, 2013. Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Weera Sriwattanatrakul told reporters that he has been invited by Myanmar authorities to attend the opening of the Mudong Permanent Border Checkpoint and he will lead members of a panel tasked with lifting the Singh-korn Border Checkpoint to be a permanent one to attend the event to hold talks on the Thai plan and to create stronger sister-cities-like-ties with the close neighbouring country.(TNA)