Phnom Penh - The Cambodian government would not tolerate "anti-government elements" making Preah Vihear temple a political issue and would not permit a proposed march on the Thai embassy, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday.
He was responding to an announcement by the little-known Society, Morality and National Culture Institute that it was lobbying for permission to stage a 3,000-strong rally around the Thai embassy.
The group's leader, Po Samnang, said the rally was aimed at showing Cambodian support for listing the 11th century Hindu border temple as a World Heritage site.
"These are anti-government groups, so we will treat it as a domestic Cambodian matter. Thailand trys to help Cambodia so we should not confuse this issue," Kaharith said.