Preah Vihear Temple Marks 18 Years as UNESCO Site Amidst Scars of Thai Shelling

Senior Cambodian officials and UN representatives marked the 18th anniversary of Preah Vihear Temple’s listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site on June 5. However, the occasion was also marked by a somber remembrance of the damage inflicted upon the monument and its surroundings by Thai military shelling in December 2025. The ceremony, themed “Conservation, Destruction and Restoration,” took place at the Samdech Techo Hun Sen Preah Vihear Eco-Global Museum. Attendees included Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona, Preah Vihear provincial governor Kim Rithy, director-general of the National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) Kong Puthikar, and Flavio Bonetti, head of the UNESCO Office in Cambodia. Diplomatic representatives from members of the International Coordinating Committee for Preah Vihear (ICC-Preah Vihear) and approximately 800 members of the public also joined. Preah Vihear Temple was inscribed on the World Heritage List on July 7, 2008. The listing initially triggered dissatisfaction from Thailand, leading to armed clashes and a subsequent request for a re-interpretation of the original 1962 judgment. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ultimately reaffirmed that the temple, and its surrounding promontory, belong to Cambodia. According to an NAPV press release, the ceremony recalled the “grave destruction” caused by the Thai military. The attacks reportedly wiped out years of conservation work, resulting in severe damage to 562 specific locations within the temple complex and forcing approximately 16,000 people to flee their homes within the World Heritage zone. The 2025 attacks also devastated civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, health centres, pagodas, and other public facilities. Governor Rithy highlighted ongoing efforts to manage safety centres and provide essential services to displaced persons. He noted that the provincial administration has organised long-term housing for residents who are still unable to return to their original villages. The NAPV has been following the recommendations of UNESCO and ICC-Preah Vihear experts. These tasks include clearing landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and cluster bombs, while stabilising and reinforcing temple structures to prevent further collapse. Specialists are collecting and storing stone fragments and carvings for future conservation and repair, conducting a full 3D documentation of the temple and restoring ancient hydraulic (water management) systems. The NAPV stated that its immediate priorities include continuing temple repairs, restoring the forests and ecosystems within the heritage zone, reviving tourism, and improving community livelihoods. Furthermore, the event aimed to awaken a spirit of national solidarity among civil servants, armed forces, and the public, to jointly protect this ancestral heritage. The culture minister reiterated the government’s commitment to defending territorial integrity and cultural property, in accordance with international law. She vowed that conservation and restoration efforts would continue to ensure Preah Vihear remains a legacy for future generations.