On May 28, Thailand and Cambodia exchanged gunfire near the sacred Preah Vihear Shiva temple, an 11th-century Hindu monument perched on a disputed border. A Cambodian soldier was killed during the skirmish in Techo Morakot village, escalating decades of tension into a renewed flash of armed violence.
Both sides blame each other. Cambodia calls it an “unprovoked attack”, claiming Thai troops fired first. Thailand insists it was acting in self-defense after Cambodian soldiers allegedly fired during a confrontation near a new outpost.
Though a temporary ceasefire has been declared, troops still face each other. Regional commanders have agreed to hold further discussions and maintain current positions until a new Joint Boundary Committee can address the territorial gridlock.
Preah Vihear: Sacred, Strategic, and Disputed
The Preah Vihear temple, a towering relic of the Khmer Empire, holds immense religious and historical value. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the site features a rare natural Shiva Lingam and is one of the finest examples of classical Khmer architecture. It straddles the Dangrek Mountains, right along the murky and contested border between the two nations.
Thailand and Cambodia have sparred repeatedly over its control. Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, Thailand has continued to dispute the surrounding territory—especially after Cambodia listed it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
This temple has become more than stone. It is a symbol of sovereignty, of pride, and now, of political provocation.
Flashbacks of Violence—and Warnings from History
This isn’t the first time bullets have echoed through temple stones. In 2008, clashes broke out during UNESCO deliberations. In 2011, heavy fighting near the temple led to over a dozen deaths and mass displacement of villagers.
In 2013, the ICJ reaffirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty—not just over the temple, but over the adjacent land as well. Yet today, soldiers still patrol the shadows of its sanctum.
Tensions reignited in February 2025, when Cambodian troops sang their national anthem inside Prasat Ta Moan Thom, another sacred site near the border. Thai troops challenged the act, triggering viral confrontations and rising hostility.
National Pride vs Religious Heritage
Preah Vihear is not just sacred—it’s strategic. Built to dominate the plateau and monitor ancient Khmer roads, it now sits atop a military fault line. Both sides claim cultural inheritance. Cambodians trace their lineage to the Khmer builders. Thais invoke historic control by Siamese kingdoms.
While Buddhism dominates modern Thailand and Cambodia, Hindu temples like Preah Vihear still command reverence. Its orientation toward the south—unlike most Khmer temples—and massive laterite construction mark it as unique. Its cultural legacy remains uncontested, even as the land beneath it bleeds.
What Lies Ahead: Talk or Trigger?
Following the deadly clash, Cambodian PM Hun Manet called for calm but reaffirmed full military control. Thailand insists on protecting its sovereignty. While both sides have ordered restraint, neither plans to withdraw.
The newly proposed Joint Boundary Committee may offer a path forward. But past mechanisms have failed to prevent violence. And both armies remain combat-ready.