Thailand Says Cambodia Used Preah Vihear Temple Area as Military Base

Thailand says it has evidence that Cambodian forces used the area around the Preah Vihear temple as a military position during the recent border conflict, raising further concerns over the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, director of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Information Centre, said Thailand had aerial images, coordinates and photographs that it says show weapons and military positions in the area. The alleged equipment included rocket-propelled grenades, small arms and positions for anti-aircraft weapons.

Prapas said Thailand was prepared to provide the evidence, including the locations and timing of the alleged military activity, for independent examination. He stressed that Thailand wanted the facts to be assessed impartially rather than relying solely on claims from either side.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Preah Vihear is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thailand has argued that using a protected cultural site for military purposes could expose it to damage during hostilities and would raise questions under international humanitarian law.

Thailand has also maintained that its military actions in the area were directed at alleged military threats rather than the temple itself. Prapas said any assessment of responsibility for damage must consider the entire sequence of events, including who fired, where weapons were positioned and what targets were involved.

He rejected the idea that the presence of troops or weapons would automatically make the temple a legitimate target. Any military response, he said, would still have to comply with applicable international law and take into account the need to protect cultural heritage.

The dispute comes amid continuing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia following fighting along their border. Both countries have traded accusations over military activity and damage, making independent verification of evidence increasingly important.

Prapas called for World Heritage sites to remain places of peace rather than being used as military positions or shields for military operations. Thailand says it is ready to submit its evidence for impartial review, while Cambodia has disputed Thailand’s account of events.

The latest allegations add another layer to the long-running dispute surrounding Preah Vihear, a temple at the centre of decades of Thai-Cambodian tensions. Any independent assessment of the claims could have implications not only for the two countries’ border dispute but also for the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflict.