According to the official UN website on the 24th, the ancient Preah Vihear Temple stands silently atop the steep cliffs at the border between Cambodia and Thailand. Blending Khmer and Siamese architectural styles, this relic should have been a cultural treasure shared by both countries, but due to the legacy of colonial rule and surging nationalism, it has become one of Southeast Asia’s longest-lasting territorial dispute hotspots.
In the summer of 2025, this thousand-year-old temple once again witnessed an exchange of fire between the two nations' armed forces. Amidst the smoke of battle emerged not just military conflict, but a geopolitical conundrum that has troubled both countries for nearly a century: Why has this temple, a symbol of ancient cultural fusion, become a modern battleground repeatedly contested by the two nations? Is this dispute doomed to an endless cycle?
One Temple, 60 Years of Discord
On the morning of July 24th, one of the most severe military clashes in recent years erupted in the disputed border area between Thailand and Cambodia, with intense fighting around Preah Vihear Temple. The Thai military dispatched F-16 fighter jets to bomb the Cambodian command center, while ground troops deployed grenade launchers for fire suppression; on the Cambodian side, rocket systems were launched in retaliation, firing into Thai territory and causing at least 14 deaths (including 13 civilians and 1 soldier) and 46 injuries. Both sides traded accusations, each blaming the other for opening fire first and disturbing regional peace and security.
Preah Vihear Temple sits atop the cliffs forming the border between the two countries, geographically nearer Thailand’s Ubon province but historically a temple from the Khmer Empire era. The temple is not only a religious and cultural relic, but due to its symbolic status has also become a tug-of-war in national identities. Thailand sees it as “ancestral land,” while Cambodia regards it as an “integral part of national integrity.” Whenever political turmoil strikes or nationalist sentiment rises, Preah Vihear Temple inevitably becomes a flashpoint for regional friction.
A Grey Area Sows Troubles
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the main structure of Preah Vihear Temple belonged to Cambodia, based on a 1907 map drawn by the French and tacitly accepted by Thailand. After the ruling, the Thai military was forced to withdraw from the main temple structure, but the ownership of the surrounding area remained unresolved.
This grey area sowed future troubles. In 2008, Cambodia succeeded in having Preah Vihear Temple inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the time, political instability in Thailand allowed nationalists to interpret this move as a violation of sovereignty, sparking the first armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops near the temple.
In the following years, both sides frequently deployed troops in the disputed zone, resulting in multiple small-scale clashes, especially from February to May 2011, when conflict escalated into prolonged artillery duels, causing military and civilian casualties on both sides and damaging several heritage sites, including Preah Vihear Temple. The clashes originated from disputes over outposts and patrol routes but soon spread to other historical relics. The fighting not only destroyed parts of the cultural structures but also forced tens of thousands to flee, triggering a regional humanitarian and security crisis.
To de-escalate tensions, Cambodia, in 2011, requested the ICJ to clarify the scope of its 1962 ruling. In 2013, the ICJ issued an interpretive judgment reaffirming that Preah Vihear Temple and its "vicinity" belonged to Cambodia and demanded that Thailand withdraw all its armed forces and police. Although the Thai government expressed respect for the ruling, some political and military figures remained skeptical, and military deployments and public confrontations near the temple have never truly disappeared.
Seeking Solutions
The United Nations and the international community have long provided multilevel frameworks for resolving the Thai-Cambodian border dispute. During the 2011 conflict, ASEAN's chair at the time, Indonesia, actively mediated, promoting a temporary ceasefire and proposing the establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone. Then Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen directly appealed to the UN to set up a buffer zone in the disputed region and to send peacekeepers to prevent renewed hostilities, but the proposal was blocked by Thailand. After this latest flare-up, the current ASEAN chair, Malaysia, indicated willingness to mediate.
Some analysts believe that the core of any long-term solution lies in establishing effective multilateral monitoring mechanisms. During the 2008–2011 crisis, UNESCO sought to defuse tensions through heritage protection dialogue. Other analysts point out that current potential solutions include: establishing an ASEAN-led observer mission under UN Security Council authorization to oversee demilitarization; restarting the Joint Border Technical Committee with third-party experts to clarify undelineated sections; and creating a cross-border joint heritage management system to turn the disputed area into a model of cooperation.
In the summer of 2025, this thousand-year-old temple once again witnessed an exchange of fire between the two nations' armed forces. Amidst the smoke of battle emerged not just military conflict, but a geopolitical conundrum that has troubled both countries for nearly a century: Why has this temple, a symbol of ancient cultural fusion, become a modern battleground repeatedly contested by the two nations? Is this dispute doomed to an endless cycle?
One Temple, 60 Years of Discord
On the morning of July 24th, one of the most severe military clashes in recent years erupted in the disputed border area between Thailand and Cambodia, with intense fighting around Preah Vihear Temple. The Thai military dispatched F-16 fighter jets to bomb the Cambodian command center, while ground troops deployed grenade launchers for fire suppression; on the Cambodian side, rocket systems were launched in retaliation, firing into Thai territory and causing at least 14 deaths (including 13 civilians and 1 soldier) and 46 injuries. Both sides traded accusations, each blaming the other for opening fire first and disturbing regional peace and security.
Preah Vihear Temple sits atop the cliffs forming the border between the two countries, geographically nearer Thailand’s Ubon province but historically a temple from the Khmer Empire era. The temple is not only a religious and cultural relic, but due to its symbolic status has also become a tug-of-war in national identities. Thailand sees it as “ancestral land,” while Cambodia regards it as an “integral part of national integrity.” Whenever political turmoil strikes or nationalist sentiment rises, Preah Vihear Temple inevitably becomes a flashpoint for regional friction.
A Grey Area Sows Troubles
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the main structure of Preah Vihear Temple belonged to Cambodia, based on a 1907 map drawn by the French and tacitly accepted by Thailand. After the ruling, the Thai military was forced to withdraw from the main temple structure, but the ownership of the surrounding area remained unresolved.
This grey area sowed future troubles. In 2008, Cambodia succeeded in having Preah Vihear Temple inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the time, political instability in Thailand allowed nationalists to interpret this move as a violation of sovereignty, sparking the first armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops near the temple.
In the following years, both sides frequently deployed troops in the disputed zone, resulting in multiple small-scale clashes, especially from February to May 2011, when conflict escalated into prolonged artillery duels, causing military and civilian casualties on both sides and damaging several heritage sites, including Preah Vihear Temple. The clashes originated from disputes over outposts and patrol routes but soon spread to other historical relics. The fighting not only destroyed parts of the cultural structures but also forced tens of thousands to flee, triggering a regional humanitarian and security crisis.
To de-escalate tensions, Cambodia, in 2011, requested the ICJ to clarify the scope of its 1962 ruling. In 2013, the ICJ issued an interpretive judgment reaffirming that Preah Vihear Temple and its "vicinity" belonged to Cambodia and demanded that Thailand withdraw all its armed forces and police. Although the Thai government expressed respect for the ruling, some political and military figures remained skeptical, and military deployments and public confrontations near the temple have never truly disappeared.
Seeking Solutions
The United Nations and the international community have long provided multilevel frameworks for resolving the Thai-Cambodian border dispute. During the 2011 conflict, ASEAN's chair at the time, Indonesia, actively mediated, promoting a temporary ceasefire and proposing the establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone. Then Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen directly appealed to the UN to set up a buffer zone in the disputed region and to send peacekeepers to prevent renewed hostilities, but the proposal was blocked by Thailand. After this latest flare-up, the current ASEAN chair, Malaysia, indicated willingness to mediate.
Some analysts believe that the core of any long-term solution lies in establishing effective multilateral monitoring mechanisms. During the 2008–2011 crisis, UNESCO sought to defuse tensions through heritage protection dialogue. Other analysts point out that current potential solutions include: establishing an ASEAN-led observer mission under UN Security Council authorization to oversee demilitarization; restarting the Joint Border Technical Committee with third-party experts to clarify undelineated sections; and creating a cross-border joint heritage management system to turn the disputed area into a model of cooperation.