UNESCO warns Thailand and Cambodia: Urgent protection needed for historic hindu temple  

UNESCO warns Thailand and Cambodia: Urgent protection needed for historic hindu temple (image: ANI)

Phnom Penh, December 11: UNESCO has raised serious concern over the escalating Thailand - Cambodia conflict near the Preah Vihear Temple, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important Hindu cultural monument. As tensions increase along the border, the organisation has urged both nations to ensure urgent protection of cultural heritage and uphold international commitments.

In its statement, UNESCO stressed the need to protect the region’s heritage “in all its forms,” invoking international laws such as the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The agency said it will continue observing the situation and is prepared to offer technical support and emergency protection measures when conditions improve.

Reports indicate that renewed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia began on December 10, involving artillery fire, rocket attacks, and civilian damages. Both sides have accused each other of initiating the strikes. Earlier this year, a landmine blast near the disputed zone killed a Cambodian soldier and injured Thai troops, leading to months of cross-border violence.

A temporary truce brokered by the US administration and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur had eased tensions, but fresh clashes have reignited fears of further damage.

On Thursday, Cambodia’s Defence Ministry reported that Thai F-16 jets targeted multiple provinces, affecting both military posts and civilian areas. Cambodian authorities claim that homes, schools, roads and sacred sites (including the Ta Krabey and Preah Vihear temples) suffered destruction due to intensified shelling.

Thailand’s Defence Ministry reported the loss of nine soldiers and over 120 injuries over the last five days. Cambodia has confirmed the death of 10 civilians and dozens of serious injuries.

US President Donald Trump said he is expected to speak with the leaders of both nations to urge an immediate halt to hostilities. Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim also shared that discussions with both sides are ongoing, though a full resolution has not yet been reached.

The Preah Vihear Temple, situated on the Dangrek mountain range along the Cambodia–Thailand border, has long been at the heart of territorial disagreements. Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirmed Cambodia’s ownership in 1962 and reaffirmed it in 2013, disputes persist over surrounding undemarcated land.

The conflict is tied to a 1907 colonial-era map drawn by France, placing the temple inside Cambodia. The site, built in the 11th–12th centuries by the Khmer Empire, remains spiritually and culturally significant to both nations.

As fighting intensifies near the Preah Vihear Temple, UNESCO’s appeal highlights the urgent need to protect one of Southeast Asia’s most precious heritage sites. With rising casualties and mounting damage to cultural monuments, the international community continues to push for restraint, dialogue, and adherence to heritage protection laws.