Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute: Why Two Buddhist Nations Are Clashing Over a Hindu Temple
A fresh skirmish erupted along the Thailand-Cambodia border on Thursday after both nations downgraded diplomatic relations.
Citing Thailand’s Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, The Guardian reported 12 people — including 11 civilians and one soldier — were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces. An additional 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded.
Although the dispute between the two countries dates back over a century, tensions flared once again after Thailand reportedly shut its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdrew its ambassador, and expelled the Cambodian envoy on Wednesday (July 23) in response to a landmine blast that injured five Thai soldiers.
In a retaliatory move, Cambodia downgraded diplomatic ties with Thailand to the lowest level, expelled the Thai ambassador, and recalled all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok.
Both countries have blamed each other for initiating the violence.
A Timeline
The territorial dispute dates back to the early 20th century when Cambodia, then under French colonial rule, and Thailand signed treaties to demarcate their border. In the 1900s, a French-drawn map placed the Preah Vihear Temple within Cambodian territory, although the temple is more easily accessible from Thailand.
Following France’s withdrawal from Indochina, Thailand claimed the temple based on its proximity and accessibility.
Cambodia brought the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in 1962 ruled in Cambodia’s favor, stating that the temple was located within Cambodian territory.
Thailand subsequently withdrew its troops but continued to assert claims over a 4.6 sq km area surrounding the temple.
In 2008, Cambodia succeeded in having Preah Vihear listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple was recognized for its “outstanding universal value,” a move that drew international attention but reignited nationalist protests and tensions in Thailand.
This development led to a renewed wave of border clashes, with military confrontations reported between 2009 and 2011. A particularly deadly skirmish in February 2011 caused mass displacement and casualties, prompting diplomatic intervention from the UN and ASEAN.
In 2011, Cambodia petitioned the ICJ to clarify its 1962 ruling regarding the disputed land. In 2013, the court reaffirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty over the entire promontory where the temple sits and ordered Thailand to withdraw its troops from the area. Tensions subsequently de-escalated.
Significance of the Preah Vihear Temple
Perched atop a 525-meter cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains along the Cambodia–Thailand border, the Preah Vihear Temple lies in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Province, overlooking Thailand’s Pha Mo I Daeng cliffs in Sisaket Province.
Built between the 9th and 12th centuries during the reigns of Khmer kings Yasovarman I to Suryavarman II (contemporaries of Angkor Wat), the temple is dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. It was a vital religious and cultural sanctuary during the height of the Khmer Empire.
