The International Coordinating Committee for the Conservation and Promotion of Preah Vihear Temple (ICC-Preah Vihear) has requested that the Thai side provide detailed information on the direction of the attacks, as well as data on airdropped bombs and ground-fired ordnance, to serve as a basis for searching for, clearing mines, and unexploded ordnance, with the aim of restoring safety in the temple area and surrounding development zones.
This request was raised during the 11th Technical Meeting of the ICC-Preah Vihear on September 30, 2026, in Siem Reap province, with participation from Thailand as a member of the committee.
According to the meeting's press release, the mission report by international experts from the World Heritage Committee and ICOMOS showed that armed conflicts in late July and December 2025 caused damage to Preah Vihear Temple at up to 562 locations, destroyed multiple physical infrastructure on the mountaintop, and severely impacted the livelihoods of local communities.
Regarding emergency relief interventions, the Preah Vihear National Authority, in cooperation with international partners, with support from UNESCO, the ALIPH Foundation, the French Ministry of Culture, and the Royal Government of Cambodia, achieved significant results, including:
Mine clearance (CMAC) cleared approximately 70 hectares, discovering 625 bomb craters, 730 unexploded ordnance on the ground, 247 buried ordnance, and 4 drones.
Conservation and restoration: collected, registered, and stored 84,800 pieces of broken stone fragments, shored up 23 high-risk temple structures (with 25 more locations requiring urgent continuation), installed 50 monitoring devices to track changes in the temple, constructed 4 protective roofs, and restored nearly 250 meters of ancient drainage systems.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, clearly emphasized that Preah Vihear Temple is a World Heritage property that serves purely cultural functions, and has never been used for military purposes. The Minister recalled Decision 48 COM 7 of the World Heritage Committee, in Busan, in July 2026, which expressed concern about the impact of armed conflict on humanity's heritage.
At the same time, Minister Phoeurng Sackona expressed hope that the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) would resume operations to peacefully complete border demarcation in accordance with international law, and called for approximately 20,000 Cambodian displaced civilians, who have been blocked by the Thai military, to be able to safely return to their homes.
The meeting recommended that the Preah Vihear National Authority prioritize areas for clearing cluster munitions and explosive remnants, and called on the international community to continue providing technical and financial support to rescue and protect the outstanding universal value of Preah Vihear Temple for generations to come.
By: Pai Sokhim
