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Business Standard
23 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Explained: Why Thailand and Cambodia are clashing over ancient temples
Armed conflict has flared once more between Thailand and Cambodia along their long-disputed border, with both countries trading military strikes and diplomatic barbs. The immediate flashpoint was a landmine blast that injured five Thai soldiers, prompting Thailand to expel Cambodia's ambassador and seal off its northeastern border crossings, The Guardian reported. In retaliation, Cambodia downgraded diplomatic ties, evacuated its Bangkok embassy, and shut a key border checkpoint. Military exchanges have since intensified in areas around Surin province (Thailand) and Oddar Meanchey (Cambodia), with reports of Thai F-16 fighter jets striking targets in Cambodian territory, according to Reuters. What's at the heart of the dispute? The origins of the conflict trace back to overlapping claims around the Preah Vihear Temple, a centuries-old Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Perched atop a cliff marking the Cambodia-Thailand border, the temple has long been a symbol of contested sovereignty. France, which colonised Cambodia until 1953, drew a border map that placed the temple within Cambodian territory. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in favour of Cambodia, affirming its sovereignty over the temple. However, the ruling did not resolve disputes over surrounding land. In 2013, following a renewed plea by Cambodia, the ICJ clarified that parts of the promontory adjoining the temple also belonged to Cambodia. Thailand, however, has disputed both the ruling and the ICJ's jurisdiction, preferring bilateral talks to resolve the issue. Gunfire near Ta Muen and Ta Moan Thom temples The latest round of violence reportedly began near the Ta Muen and Ta Moan Thom temple sites on Thursday. The Thai military said it fired in self-defence after spotting a Cambodian drone followed by six armed personnel advancing across the contested zone. Cambodian officials rejected that version, accusing Thai forces of launching an 'armed assault' on Cambodian soldiers who were guarding national territory. Civilian casualties mount amid rocket attacks Thai authorities have confirmed nine civilian deaths across three provinces, including an eight-year-old boy in Surin. Seven Thai soldiers were also wounded. In a Facebook statement, the Thai army accused Cambodia of launching BM-21 Grad rockets into Thailand's Kap Choeng district, a charge Cambodia has not publicly addressed. The rockets reportedly struck civilian homes and public buildings. The conflict has triggered a wave of nationalist sentiment and retaliatory measures on both sides. Thailand has enforced new border restrictions with Cambodia in recent days. In response, Cambodia has banned Thai films on television and in cinemas, shut a border checkpoint, and reduced internet bandwidth originating from Thailand. Both nations have also shortened visa durations for each other's citizens.
News18
33 minutes ago
- News18
Temple, Territory, Tensions: Why Thailand, Cambodia Are Trading Blows Again, Should India Worry?
Thailand-Cambodia dispute centres on a 4.6-square-km area around Preah Vihear Hindu Temple, which holds cultural significance for both nations, symbolising their shared heritage Thailand on Thursday deployed F‑16 jets against Cambodian military targets in a dramatic escalation of a long‑standing border dispute. This followed a landmine blast on July 23 in which a Thai soldier lost a leg. Thailand retaliated by recalling its ambassador, severing diplomatic ties, closing border checkpoints, and launching airstrikes. Cambodia, lacking air assets, responded with rocket launchers and pledged a 'decisive" counter‑response. Fierce artillery exchanges, landmine threats, and civilian displacement have roused fears of broader conflict. What's At The Heart Of The Conflict? The Thailand-Cambodia border dispute centres on a 4.6-square-kilometer area around the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, perched on a cliff in the Dangrek Mountains. This Hindu temple, built during the Khmer Empire, holds cultural significance for both nations, symbolising their shared heritage. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but the surrounding land remains contested, with both countries claiming sovereignty. Clashes in 2011 killed 22 people, and the ICJ's 2013 ruling affirming Cambodia's control over the temple failed to resolve disputes over nearby areas like the Emerald Triangle, where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos meet. What Happened In The Recent Escalation? The latest flare-up began in May, when a Cambodian soldier died in a clash near the Emerald Triangle, followed by a Thai soldier's injury from a landmine on July 23. Five Thai soldiers were wounded, prompting Thailand to recall its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expel Cambodia's, closing parts of its northeastern border. On July 24, Thai F-16 jets struck two Cambodian military units, with Thailand's 2nd Regional Military Command claiming they 'destroyed" targets, per a Facebook post. Cambodia, lacking a combat-capable air force, vowed to 'respond decisively," with its BM-21 rocket launchers seen near Preah Vihear, per CNN. Clashes injured three Thai civilians, prompting evacuations in Surin province's Kap Choeng district. Cambodia's Defense Ministry claimed its troops acted in self-defence against an 'unprovoked" Thai incursion, per Lieutenant General Maly Socheata. How Did It Become A Political Firestorm? A leaked 17-minute phone call on June 19 between Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen intensified the crisis. Paetongtarn, 38, appeared to criticise her military, saying, 'If Hun Sen wants anything, he can just tell me, and I will take care of it," per CNN. The audio, confirmed authentic, led to accusations of 'kowtowing" to Cambodia, sparking protests in Bangkok. The Bhumjaithai party withdrew from Paetongtarn's coalition, threatening her Pheu Thai party's grip on power. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Chulalongkorn University professor, called her comments a betrayal of Thai interests. Paetongtarn's suspension and potential dismissal highlight Thailand's political volatility, with 10 prime ministers in 20 years, per The Hindu. Why The Conflict Between The Two Persists Several factors fuel the ongoing dispute: Historical Grievances: The 1907 Franco-Siamese treaty, which drew the border during French colonial rule, left ambiguities exploited by both nations. Thailand's claim to Preah Vihear stems from a 1904 map, while Cambodia relies on the ICJ's 1962 ruling. Nationalist sentiments, with 70% of Thais opposing the UNESCO listing, per a 2023 Bangkok Post poll, keep tensions alive. Political Instability: Thailand's turbulent politics, marked by coups and protests, amplifies nationalist rhetoric. Paetongtarn's leaked call mirrors India's own political scandals, like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)'s assault on a shopkeeper over a WhatsApp post, where public outrage fuels division. Cambodia's Hun Sen, wielding influence despite stepping down, stokes tensions to rally domestic support, per The Guardian. Military Disparity: Thailand's air force, with 11 Swedish Gripen jets and dozens of US-made F-16s, outmatches Cambodia's limited capabilities, per the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance 2025. This imbalance emboldens Thai airstrikes but risks escalation, as Cambodia's rocket launchers signal defiance. Economic Stakes: The border region, part of the Emerald Triangle, hosts trade routes and tourism, with Thailand's Aranyaprathet-Poipet checkpoint seeing $2 billion in annual trade, per a 2024 ASEAN report. Closures disrupt local economies, impacting 50,000 border residents, per The Nation. What Are The Implications For India & The Region? For India, with its $44 billion space economy and ASEAN trade ties, the Thailand-Cambodia clash is a cautionary tale. India's border disputes with China, costing $10 billion annually in military spending, per a 2024 NITI Aayog report, mirror the economic toll of such conflicts. The crisis threatens ASEAN unity, critical for India's $130 billion trade with the region, per MEA 2024. The clash also risks refugee flows, with 10,000 Cambodians displaced in 2011, per UNHCR, impacting India's regional security. The Thailand-Cambodia stand-off is not a mere border dispute. It is a flashpoint with the capacity to draw in wider regional interests. If unresolved, it risks destabilising ASEAN's unity and threatening India's broader ties in a region of growing geo-economic importance. The path ahead demands diplomacy, economic partnerships, and principled peace—lest this bruise on regional harmony turns into a deeper wound. About the Author Shilpy Bisht Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience. Her More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : ASEAN countries Cambodia thailand view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 24, 2025, 13:13 IST News explainers Temple, Territory, Tensions: Why Thailand, Cambodia Are Trading Blows Again, Should India Worry? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. 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India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Ancient Hindu temple with Shivling and the Thailand-Cambodia war
After Thai forces on Wednesday alleged that they spotted a Cambodian drone along the dense, mountainous Dangrek border, tensions escalated between Thailand and Cambodia. The incident quickly escalated into exchanges of gunfire, rocket attacks, and airstrikes involving F-16 fighter jets. At the heart of the military clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbours lies an age-old border dispute, a colonial legacy left by the French, where a complex of three ancient Hindu temples, dating back to the 11th century, now escalated significantly, with both nations expelling each other's ambassadors and downgrading diplomatic relations to their lowest epicentre of the current war is near the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, perched atop dense forests along the ridge which is along the Thailand-Cambodia border. The group of 11th-century Khmer Hindu temples, including Ta Muen Thom, Ta Muen, and Ta Muen Toch, hold cultural and historical temple, with a Shivling extracted from rocks, and with Sanskrit inscriptions, also gives a peak into the reach of ancient Indian culture and art TEMPLE AREA A FLASHPOINT IN THAILAND-CAMBODIA WARPrasat Ta Muen Thom, or "Great Temple of the Grandfather Chicken" in Khmer, is a Khmer Hindu temple built in the 11th century under King Udayadityavarman II. The temple is dedicated to Lord on a strategic pass in the Dangrek Mountains, it forms part of an ancient Khmer highway linking Angkor in Cambodia to Phimai in temple's location on the contested border between Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province and Thailand's Surin province made it a focal point of tensions between the two Cambodia claims ownership based on historical Khmer Empire boundaries, Thailand asserts that the area lies within its primarily to Shiva, Ta Muen Thom houses a Shivling from a natural rock formation in its sanctum features a rectangular layout with a south-facing main entrance, which is unusual for Khmer temples. They typically faced large gopura (entrance tower) and broad laterite staircase descends towards carvings, including depictions of Hindu deities, show the influence of post-Gupta Indian art. These show cultural and artistic links between the Khmer Empire and the offshoots of the Indian Gupta TA MUEN TEMPLE COMPLEX BECAME BUDDHIST CENTREThe Ta Muen Thom complex also includes two smaller temples: Prasat Ta Muen Toch ("Minor Temple of the Grandfather Chicken"), a hospital chapel, and Prasat Ta Muen, a rest house chapel, located within a few hundred temples, built during the peak of the Khmer Empire (9th–15th centuries), served as critical stops on the ancient Khmer the temples, protected to some extent, lie mostly in ruins, the ongoing war has brought them into proximity of the temple complex to the border, coupled with incomplete boundary demarcation from French colonial maps, has fuelled recurring clashes between the two Shaivite Hindu, the temples later transitioned to Buddhist use as the Khmer Empire embraced Ta Muen later became a center of Mahayana Buddhism, with several structures, including a dharma sala, or rest house for travellers, commissioned by Buddhist King Jayavarman temples are specimens of Khmer architecture, where laterite construction with sandstone elements are key HINDU TEMPLES CAME UP AT CAMBODIA-THAILAND BORDER?The temples' design and iconography trace back to Indian Hindu traditions, which were introduced to Southeast Asia through trade and cultural exchanges, starting in the 1st Khmer Empire adopted Shaivism and Vaishnavism, influenced by South India's Pallava dynasty, which had maritime links to far-off Devaraja (God-King) concept, where rulers were seen as divine embodiments of Shiva or Vishnu, is also similar to the then-contemporary Indian political links are evident in the temples' iconography and Sanskrit inscriptions, which affirm their links to India and its cultural ancient temples were forgotten and lay in ruins. It took a war to bring the temples into public consciousness. - Ends
