Cambodian Culture Ministry Protests Thai Religious Ceremonies and Public Opening of K’nar Temple
Cambodia’s Culture Ministry issued a statement on May 16 protesting Thai religious ceremonies and public access at K’nar Temple, and restating its position on sovereignty over the sites and the legal effect of the activities.
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Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts issued a statement on May 16, 2026, expressing its strongest protest and categorical opposition to the Thai side’s organization of religious ceremonies and opening of K’nar Temple to the public. The ministry said the temple was within Cambodia’s sovereign territory.
In its one-page English statement, the ministry said K’nar Temple, together with Tamone Thom Temple and Ta Krabey Temple, were historical and cultural sites located entirely within Cambodia’s sovereign territory. It also said Thai authorities had used these sites, which the ministry identified as Cambodian cultural heritage, for official ceremonies, public gatherings and tourism activities. The ministry described those activities as unlawful and as serious violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The ministry alleged that these actions were deliberate efforts to create a fait accompli on the ground, consolidate territorial occupation through force, and construct false facts and legal frameworks for occupying Cambodian territory. It said it categorically rejected and would not accept attempts by the Thai side to occupy Cambodian territory unlawfully through unilateral actions, and maintained that all such activities were invalid and had no legal effect.
By: ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
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