Preah Vihear Temple Suffers Unprecedented Damage, UNESCO Report Reveals

PARIS, Sept 9, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple has suffered extensive and unprecedented damage from armed clashes in 2025, threatening the site’s Outstanding Universal Value, according to a new report by UNESCO and ICOMOS. The findings follow a joint mission that assessed the World Heritage site between March 1 and 6, 2026. The mission documented 142 damaged areas linked to attacks in July 2025 and a further 420 following assaults in December. The scale of destruction was described as “unprecedented” compared with previous conflicts, with “no area spared.” The assessment concluded that the temple’s integrity, authenticity and Outstanding Universal Value — central to its World Heritage status — had been severely compromised. Damage extended beyond the temple structures to infrastructure and tourism facilities. The report classified Preah Vihear as under “serious and specific danger,” calling for urgent conservation measures. Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Phoung Sakuna, warned in March that the extent of damage was far greater than official figures suggested, surpassing the 562 cases reported by the National Authority for Preah Vihear. “All countries have a responsibility to protect cultural heritage,” she said, citing the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 1954 Hague Convention on safeguarding cultural property during armed conflict. The UNESCO–ICOMOS assessment underscores the vulnerability of cultural sites in conflict zones and the risk of irreversible loss to heritage considered of value to humanity as a whole. Cambodia has stressed that protecting Preah Vihear requires respect for international law and the safeguarding of cultural٠sites during armed clashes.