Phnom Penh, July 27 – The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has issued a powerful condemnation of what it describes as the “continued and intensified shelling” of the UNESCO-listed Preah Vihear Temple by Thai armed forces, calling the repeated attacks a direct assault on Cambodia’s sovereignty and a grave violation of international law protecting cultural heritage.
In its strongly worded statement released on July 27, the ministry denounced Thailand’s military operations as not only endangering the structural integrity of the ancient Khmer sanctuary, but also threatening the “shared cultural heritage of humanity.” The Preah Vihear Temple, perched dramatically atop a 525-meter-high cliff in the Dangrek Mountains, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008 for its exceptional Khmer architecture and spiritual significance.
“These renewed acts of aggression have placed the temple in grave and unprecedented danger,” the ministry stated, adding that the damage inflicted has severely undermined “a symbol of Cambodia’s national identity, historical continuity, and spiritual heritage.”
The statement warned that the temple and its surrounding sacred landscape have suffered “grave and unprecedented” damage as a result of continued artillery shelling and aerial bombardment by Thai forces. The ministry described the actions as a deliberate and escalating campaign against a heritage site protected under multiple international legal instruments.
Specifically, the ministry cited clear violations of:
- The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict,
- The 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, which enhances legal protection during wartime,
- The 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and
- The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which classifies the intentional destruction of cultural heritage as a potential war crime.
The ministry also reminded Thailand of its obligations under a UNESCO decision in 2014, which established the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) for the Conservation and Enhancement of the Temple of Preah Vihear, to which Thailand is a State Party.
The statement urged Thailand to immediately cease all military operations in and around the Preah Vihear Temple and to respect Cambodia’s cultural and territorial sovereignty. It also appealed to the international community, particularly UNESCO, the United Nations, and global cultural and human rights organizations, to:
- Demand an immediate ceasefire and protection of cultural sites,
- Publicly condemn Thailand’s continued acts of aggression,
- Pursue diplomatic and legal action to hold the perpetrators accountable,
- Deploy international observers to verify and assess the extent of damage.
The ministry affirmed that it is actively compiling evidence and documentation of the destruction and is prepared to pursue legal recourse through the International Criminal Court and other international legal bodies to seek justice and reparations.
“The Kingdom of Cambodia remains steadfast in its commitment to defending its cultural heritage and upholding the principles of peace, justice, and international law,” the statement concluded.
This latest escalation marks a serious deterioration in Cambodia–Thailand relations and raises urgent concerns about the protection of irreplaceable world heritage sites in times of armed conflict.
