Thailand and Cambodia clash over the 11th century Preah Vihear Shiva temple: All you need to know about the longstanding border dispute

A violent conflict has recently erupted between Thailand and Cambodia over a contested territory along their border which both countries claim as their own. This region holds significant cultural value for both countries and is home to an ancient Hindu temple which is 900 years old and has an auspicious Shiva Lingam, in the Preah Vihear province.

A Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight that took place between Cambodian and Thai troops on the morning of 28th May. The instance reportedly occurred in Techo Morakot village, located in the Morakot commune of Choam Ksan district. This clash followed a prolonged period of increasing tensions between the two countries.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Cambodia, the incident, which was labeled as “unprovoked,” transpired after Thai troops launched an initial offensive against a position that had been occupied by Cambodian forces for a considerable duration. The Royal Thai Army, in a statement, claimed that the Cambodian soldiers initiated the firing and they responded accordingly.

The country’s minister of defense Phumtham Wechayachai stated, “I have been informed that the return fire was necessary to defend ourselves and protect Thailand’s sovereignty. I have instructed caution. Although the ceasefire holds, both sides continue to face each other.”

Thailand asserted that its troops were attacked while attempting to persuade Cambodian troops to withdraw from establishing a post in a contested area. “Cambodian forces misunderstood the situation and started using weapons, so Thai forces retaliated,” Thai army spokesman Major General Winthai Suvaree mentioned.

“This clash is not something Cambodia desires. We will continue discussions with the Thai Ministry of Defense to find a mutual solution that will quickly return the situation to normal and prevent such incidents from occurring again,” expressed Cambodia’s Defense Ministry.

Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet addressed the nation on 29th May and declared that he did not want a war between Cambodian and Thai military, stating that people should not “panic over unverified material being circulated,” in a written statement. “For this reason, I hope that the upcoming meeting between the Cambodian and Thai army commanders will produce positive results to preserve stability and good military communication between the two countries, as we have done in the past,” he expressed.

He further mentioned, “Even though I am in Japan, the command system and hierarchy for major military operations such as troop movements remain under my full responsibility as prime minister.” The clash continued for approximately 10 minutes until the local commanders communicated with one another and issued a ceasefire order. Afterward, the Southeast Asian neighbours decided to withdraw troops from the region.

The next two weeks would see the formation of a Joint Boundary Committee to “solve the problem of the border conflict.”  The commanders agreed to use “existing mechanisms to resolve disputes,” according to the Royal Cambodian Army, although it will not withdraw its forces from the conflict zone.

The contentious border between Thailand and Cambodia

The border, which is more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) long and was mainly drawn during the French colonization of Indochina, has been the subject of a long-running dispute between the neighbors, leading to armed conflicts, notably one that happened in 2008 close to the historic temple was inducted as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site that year.

A confrontation also broke out along the border in 2011, close to the 11th-century temple and resulted in multiple deaths as well as injuries. There have been at least 28 fatalities as a result of the years of intermittent violence. The fresh tensions were originated in February when Cambodian troops and their families sung the country’s national anthem inside Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple. Thai soldiers who were stationed nearby confronted them. An intense verbal exchange between the two sides was captured on camera by a Thai person and went viral online.

Although a peaceful resolution is Cambodia’s top priority, Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia warned in March that if Thai soldiers infringed on Cambodian sovereignty, the nation would be prepared to employ military force. After a conference in May, military leaders from Thailand and Cambodia decided to keep troops in their current locations and only place five of each nation’s soldiers directly at the temple site in order to avoid more skirmishes.

The ancient temple

The Preah Vihear in Cambodia transcends the contemporary Southeast Asian republics. The majority of the temple’s surviving portions are from the Khmer Empire’s heyday, the 11th and 12th centuries. Modern Cambodians, who still call themselves Khmers, have direct ancestry from the Khmer people. They reigned from the 9th to the 15th century over most of mainland Southeast Asia, including what is now Thailand (formerly known as Siam) and built the spectacular complex at Angkor Wat.

Khmer temples are known for their remarkable architecture. The influence of Hinduism, the primary religion of the Khmer monarchs at that time is evident in the temple. Additionally, it incorporates aspects of Buddhism, which subsequently gained popularity in the region. Preah Vihear has not always been governed by Cambodia, despite its Khmer heritage. The Siamese kingdoms and the contemporary Thai state that replaced them have occasionally controlled or occupied the region it now inhabits.

Prasat Ta Moan Thom or Ta Moan is also situated right on the disputed border between the provinces of Surin in Thailand and Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia. Friction between the two countries has frequently arisen because of its location in the Dangrek Mountains. It was constructed as a Hindu shrine and devoted to Lord Shiva. It is older than its two companion temples, Prasat Ta Muen and Prasat Ta Muen Tot. Its significance as a hallowed place of worship was demonstrated by the discovery of a natural Shiva lingam inside its main chamber.

This Hindu temple is the most expansive of the three temples located in its vicinity. It sits on one of the routes of the Dangrek Mountains, a key location that divides the Cambodian plains from Thailand’s Khorat plateau. The temple has a rectangular design and is primarily composed of laterite, a hardy red soil, with some sandstone components.

Interestingly, unlike most Khmer temples which are orientated toward east, its main entrance faces south. The temple complex lies in a region where Thailand and Cambodia do not yet have a clear border and hence it is claimed by both nations which results in a frequent military presence and sporadic violence.

The historical dispute

Preah Vihear and adjacent regions were taken by Thailand in 1941 as part of a military alliance with Japan. It once again changed hands following the defeat of the French colonial forces in 1953, after its return to France. In 1954, Thai forces replaced the leaving French troops in the region as a newly independent Cambodia attempted to stand alone. Five years later, Cambodia complained and brought a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled 9 to 3 in favor of Cambodia after concluding that the Thai people had accepted the French border demarcation for nearly 50 years. Preah Vihear was essentially off-limits for many years following the 1963 handover because of heavy mining and struggle for control by Khmer Rouge guerrillas and other groups. It wasn’t until the Khmer Rouge organization disintegrated in the late 1990s that the site was opened to tourists.

The governments of Thailand and Cambodia implemented policies in the ensuing years to improve the accessibility for tourists and religious pilgrims. However, when Cambodia attempted to register Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, the enduring ownership controversy resurfaced. The Thai government raised an objection, arguing that the proposal mentioned Thai-owned territory surrounding the temple.

The administration of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej agreed to a revised Cambodian application and signed a communique with the country. However, the Samak government withdrew the support due to strong domestic criticism. As UNESCO considered the application, the situation deteriorated further. Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama was sued by opposition members in Thailand, who maintained that the communique he had signed with Cambodia was unlawful.

The Thai Constitutional Court upheld the charge, nevertheless, the next day, Cambodia’s bid for Preah Vihear was accepted by UNESCO. Tensions reached dangerous heights as Noppadon stepped down and Cambodians rejoiced. As Thai demonstrations erupted, Cambodia blocked the border to Preah Vihear. Hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers were positioned nearby within a week, many of them in disputed regions right next to the temple.

Similar scenes were witnessed again in 2011 when over a dozen individuals including soliders were killed and many others were wounded as well as nearly 100,000 villagers were forced to leave as a result of a multi-day conflict between Thai and Cambodian military. Both nations accused each other. Cambodia claimed that Thai troops entered officially recognized Cambodian territory before dawn and started shooting rockets and weapons, forcing them to counterattack. Cambodia fired first, according to Thailand, whose troops had been on a regular patrol in the region.

Cambodia requested the ICJ to interpret the 1962 judgment in April 2011, pointing out that although Thailand acknowledges Cambodia’s sovereignty over the temple itself, it does not seem to accept the latter’s sovereignty over the area surrounding the temple. Therefore, in 2013, the court unanimously decided that Thailand must remove its troops from the Preah Vihear promontory since Cambodia held authority over the entire region.

Additionally, it confirmed that the temple, which was added on UNESCO’s 2008 World Heritage List, is a place of religious and cultural importance to the local populace. Thailand and Cambodia, both parties to the World historic Convention, are required to work together to conserve the monument as a world historic site, the court observed and added that it is mandatory for every state to refrain from “taking any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly” such legacy.

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