Report verification: Did Cambodia utilize border temple as military headquarters?
In the contested border region between Thailand and Cambodia, known as the Emerald Triangle, recent military clashes have resulted in casualties and displaced thousands of people. The ancient sites of Prasat Preah Vihear/Prasat Phra Viharn and Prasat Ta Muan Thom have been at the heart of these hostilities due to their location in disputed territories.
A claim circulating on social media accuses Cambodia of using ancient sites as military bases and violating international conventions. However, a closer look at the available sources reveals that while there is evidence of recent military activity and clashes near the disputed temple site of Prasat Ta Krabay (also spelled Ta Khwai), there is no direct evidence indicating the construction of new military bases at or adjacent to this temple site.
The sources primarily describe combat actions rather than new base infrastructure. For instance, on July 24, 2025, Thai F-16 jets bombed several Cambodian military positions, including Ta Krabay Temple, as part of wider hostilities in the border area. Further clashes were reported near Prasat Ta Krabay and along the border between Cambodia's Preah Vihear province and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province around late July 2025.
The border area, including sites near Prasat Ta Krabay, has seen military build-ups and increased patrols from both Cambodian and Thai forces amid the conflict. Yet, the information focuses more on military confrontations, troop deployments, bombardments, and the geopolitical conflict itself rather than new base infrastructure.
Elsewhere in the region, reports and photographic evidence suggest that Thai and Cambodian forces have built bunkers in temples like Preah Vihear. This long-standing border dispute revolves around contested border lines and competing claims to several temple sites, with Ta Muan Thom being located in the center of the unrest.
The conflict escalated in 2008 when Cambodia nominated Preah Vihear to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, triggering violent clashes. The symbolic significance of these sites for national identity and heritage is a reason for stationing troops there, effectively transforming cultural landmarks into militarized frontiers and conflict flashpoints.
Using a temple as a military base exposes it to the risk of damage from armed conflict and risks losing its protected status, especially for a UNESCO World Heritage Site like Prasat Preah Vihear. International humanitarian law protects cultural property and prohibits its use for military purposes. The 1972 UNESCO World Heritage convention aims to protect the natural and cultural heritage of "outstanding universal value," and the transformation of such sites into militarized zones clearly contravenes this.
Professor Pavin Chachavalpongpun, co-author of Preah Vihear: A Guide to the Thai Cambodian Conflict and Its Solutions (2013), has confirmed that ancient temples have been used for military purposes in the Thai-Cambodian conflict, especially in the Emerald Triangle region. The border between Thailand and Cambodia, approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) long and partly established during colonial times, has recently flared up, with a ceasefire in effect since July 28, but there have been reports of ceasefire violations.
- The media has been reporting on the ongoing conflict in the Asian border region between Thailand and Cambodia, particularly the use of ancient sites like Prasat Preah Vihear for military purposes, which violates international conventions.
- The world has been closely watching the news about the escalating war-and-conflicts in the disputed territory aroundPrasat Ta Muan Thom and Prasat Preah Vihear, both located in the contested border area between the two countries.
- The recent international general-news has been highlighting the use of cultural landmarks like temples for military purposes in the Thai-Cambodian conflict, with Prasat Preah Vihear being a prime example.
- The crime-and-justice aspect of the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Asia has come to light with reports of violations of international humanitarian law, such as using cultural property as military bases in the Thai-Cambodian border region.
- As the world follows the news about the ongoing conflict in the Thai-Cambodian border, there is increasing concern about the risk of damage to UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Prasat Preah Vihear, which are being used for military purposes.
