“Urgent Action” Needed to Protect a World Heritage-Listed Temple in Cambodia
A UNESCO-led study has called for “urgent action” to protect Cambodia’s World Heritage-listed Temple of Preah Vihear after extensive damage from military strikes during the 2025 border war between Thailand and Cambodia. The mission report says the 11th-century site suffered “direct hits,” with 562 damaged areas identified from strikes in July and December 2025, affecting architectural elements as well as tourist infrastructure and equipment. UNESCO warned the temple remains under serious threat amid fears of renewed incidents in Preah Vihear province and recommended measures including anti-landmine operations and stabilizing broken structures, while urging Thailand to engage to ensure emergency work can proceed safely. The report also cited both countries’ obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property and noted that the conflict displaced about 640,000 people at its peak.
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This story was covered in Monuments at Risk, Museums Under Fire