Three months after a ceasefire halted fighting between Cambodia and Thailand, the scars of conflict remain etched into the ancient Preah Vihear temple. The 11th‑century Hindu monument, perched high in the Dangrek Mountains, has suffered extensive damage from artillery fire and bombardment, leaving parts of the site at risk of collapse.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, Preah Vihear is revered in Cambodia as a cultural treasure, built by the Khmer Empire that also created Angkor Wat. But its location on the contested frontier has made it a flashpoint for decades. Last year’s clashes in July and December left the temple pitted with craters, shattered gateways and weakened walls. Cambodian officials warn that the coming rainy season could bring further destruction.
Tourism has ceased, with the site closed due to unstable structures and the danger of unexploded ordnance. Conservation staff and soldiers remain stationed there, while Thai troops are visible just across the border. Cambodia’s Culture Ministry has counted damage in more than 560 locations, including staircases previously restored with international support.
Accusations fly on both sides. Phnom Penh insists the temple was deliberately targeted, accusing Thai forces of violating international law by striking a heritage site. Bangkok counters that Cambodia militarised the complex, storing weapons and using it for surveillance, thereby voiding its protected status. Each government blames the other for sparking the clashes.
The dispute over Preah Vihear stretches back to the 1950s. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, reaffirming the decision in 2013. Yet nationalist sentiment in Thailand has kept tensions alive, with sporadic fighting flaring over the years.
Restoration now faces daunting obstacles. International funding has stalled, and archaeologists warn that urgent repairs are needed to prevent collapse. “We have a plan; we want to do a repair — the sooner the better, but it depends on the situation along the border,” said Hem Sinath of Cambodia’s National Authority for Preah Vihear.
For now, the temple stands battered and silent, a cultural jewel caught in the crossfire of a long‑running territorial feud.
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