Cambodia Urges UNESCO to Enhance Monitoring of Preah Vihear Temple Amid Border Threats

Cambodia has urged UNESCO and the international community to enhance their monitoring of ongoing security threats to the Preah Vihear Temple, warning that emergency conservation efforts alone cannot fully safeguard the World Heritage Site as long as threats persist along the Cambodia-Thailand border. Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona made the appeal during the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, where she is leading a Cambodian delegation. Sackona thanked the hosts and expressed appreciation to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and international partners for their continued assistance in protecting the Temple of Preah Vihear. She also acknowledged the international attention given to the ancient temple following armed clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border in 2025, particularly the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre-ICOMOS Advisory Mission conducted in Cambodia in March 2026 at Phnom Penh’s invitation. According to the Ministry of Culture, armed clashes in July and December 2025 inflicted severe damage on the World Heritage property, affecting its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), integrity, and authenticity. Several structures were damaged by direct strikes, while local communities remain displaced and continue to be denied access to the temple, which Cambodia described as an integral part of their cultural heritage, religious traditions, and identity. Cambodia, with support from UNESCO’s Heritage Emergency Fund and international partners, has launched a series of emergency conservation measures. These include clearing submunitions and artillery fragments from the site, carrying out comprehensive three-dimensional documentation of the monument, installing emergency protection for vulnerable structures, and documenting architectural fragments to facilitate future conservation and restoration work. However, Sackona stressed that these efforts could not achieve their full objectives as long as threats to the property continue. The Cambodian delegation also drew the committee’s attention to what it described as the continued presence of Thai forces in the immediate vicinity of the temple, as well as unilateral activities affecting other Khmer cultural heritage sites within Cambodian territory. According to the ministry, Cambodia stated that such activities risk causing further damage to cultural heritage and "reflect a deliberate attempt to create a fait accompli on the ground." Cambodia called on Thailand to respect international law and pursue a peaceful settlement of the border issue through the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Commission in accordance with the Joint Declaration signed on December 27, 2025. The delegation requested that the World Heritage Committee continue closely monitoring the condition of the property, maintain support for urgent conservation and restoration efforts, and reaffirm the importance of respecting international conventions governing the protection of cultural heritage. The appeal comes just over a month after Cambodia marked the 64th anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling which awarded sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia. Earlier this year, Cambodian authorities reported that the 2025 border clashes had caused extensive damage to the temple complex, with more than 560 damaged locations documented, including severe structural impacts requiring long-term restoration. In her closing remarks, Sackona said the damage suffered by Preah Vihear serves as a reminder that safeguarding World Heritage extends beyond preserving monuments. "The tragedy suffered by the Temple of Preah Vihear serves as a reminder that protecting World Heritage is inseparable from protecting peace, dialogue and the shared responsibility of the international community," she said.