Sunday, 27 July 2025
Sunday, 27 July 2025
At the center of the deadly Thailand-Cambodia border conflict that has killed over 30 and displaced more than 130,000 lies a dispute over ancient Khmer Hindu temples, especially the 11th–12th century Preah Vihear, foreign policy expert Brahma Chellaney said on Saturday.
"..the Thai-Cambodian border conflict centers largely on the ownership and control of ancient Khmer Hindu temples, with the 11th–12th century Preah Vihear temple as the most prominent historical flashpoint," wrote Chellaney on X.
These architectural marvels, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, are witnesses to the rise and fall of the mighty Khmer Empire.
The most prominent of these is Preah Vihear, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, perched on a clifftop between Cambodia's Preah Vihear province and Thailand's Sisaket province.
Despite being in Cambodia, the temple was accessible only through Thai territory for decades, creating a web of competing claims.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded sovereignty of Preah Vihear to Cambodia, a decision that Thailand has never fully accepted.
In 2008, Cambodia's successful bid to register Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage Site sparked fierce protests in Thailand and triggered a series of armed confrontations. The deadliest occurred in 2011, when week-long fighting killed 15 people and displaced tens of thousands.
The ICJ's 2013 clarification reaffirmed Cambodian control over the temple and its immediate surroundings, but left unresolved the question of who controls the larger surrounding area.
Roughly 150 kilometres west is the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple complex, controlled by Thailand but claimed by both nations.
Built by King Jayavarman VII, this sandstone structure houses a sacred shivalinga and comprises three buildings, including a Buddhist shrine and a hospital shrine for the local community.
Its location on the contested border has made it a recurring trigger for confrontations.
The roots of today's crisis stretch back to 1907, when French colonial administrators drew the border between French-controlled Cambodia and independent Thailand.
Cambodia has long relied on this colonial-era map to justify its territorial claims, while Thailand disputes its accuracy and clarity.
This 800-kilometer frontier, marked by thick jungle, remote mountains, and scattered ancient ruins, has never been definitively demarcated.
The current crisis erupted on Thursday, July 24, near the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple complex.
Thailand's National Security Council claimed the violence began at 7:30 am when Cambodian forces deployed surveillance drones over Thai positions.
Despite attempts at cross-border negotiation, Cambodian soldiers allegedly opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades by 8:20 am.
Thailand responded by deploying F-16 fighter jets, claiming to have destroyed two Cambodian military support units.
Officials in Phnom Penh say Thai soldiers violated a prior agreement by advancing near the temple at 6:30 am and placing barbed wire around its base.
They claim Thai forces fired first, forcing Cambodia to respond in self-defense against what Prime Minister Hun Manet called an "armed invasion."
The fighting has spread beyond the initial flashpoint, with reports of mortar fire and skirmishes across multiple border points, including Thailand's coastal Trat province, more than 100 kilometers from the original confrontation zone.
Both nations have imposed economic sanctions: Cambodia banned imports of Thai fruits, vegetables, electricity, and internet services, while Thailand closed border crossings except for students and medical patients.
Both nations have deployed additional troops to contested areas, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of laying anti-personnel landmines in Thai territory.
Cambodia dismisses these as "baseless accusations," pointing to the legacy of unexploded ordnance from 20th-century conflicts.
