Preah Vihear Temple Attack: Video Evidence Aligns with Physical Damage, Cambodia Reports

Minister of Information, Net Pheaktra, on September 13, 2026, highlighted a shocking video showcasing an attack with heavy weapons and intense explosions in the Preah Vihear Temple area. The dense smoke billowing from the temple signifies a grave risk to this invaluable world heritage site, crucial not only for Cambodia but for all humanity. The Minister emphasized that the video's significance lies in its origin. Verified to have been filmed and disseminated by Thai military personnel themselves, it serves as digital evidence that warrants cross-referencing with physical damage documented at Preah Vihear Temple. Furthermore, he added that the temple's damage is not solely Cambodia's assertion. A joint advisory mission by UNESCO and ICOMOS, which inspected Preah Vihear Temple from March 1 to 6, 2026, recorded direct damage to the world heritage site. This included the destruction and significant displacement of architectural elements, damage or loss of sculptures and inscriptions, and traces of explosion impacts on the temple and surrounding cliffs. Minister Pheaktra stated that the explosions captured in the video did not simply vanish with the smoke. Their consequences are recorded on the temple's stones, structures, sculptures, inscriptions, and centuries-old architectural elements. Additionally, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) conducted post-conflict clearance and verification of explosive remnants in the Preah Vihear region. Data cited in UNESCO-ICOMOS documents records the discovery of numerous munitions remnants in the area, including cluster bombs, unexploded ordnance, and thousands of fragments from heavy artillery. These technical findings add a crucial layer to the heritage experts' damage assessments. Minister Pheaktra explained the existence of a connected chain of evidence: the video documenting the attack, CMAC's record of explosive remnants on the ground, and UNESCO-ICOMOS's documentation of damage to the heritage site. He asserted that this constitutes a weighty body of evidence where the attack was filmed, weapon remnants were found, and damage was recorded by international heritage experts. He further stressed that the damage to Preah Vihear Temple cannot be erased by any claims. Broken stones, damaged structures, and harmed sculptures and inscriptions are physical evidence. Weapon remnants found by CMAC are technical evidence, and the attack video is digital evidence. The Minister concluded that while the smoke in the video may dissipate, the scars left by the attack on Preah Vihear Temple cannot be removed from the evidence. Source: CPP Cambodia