Three months after a ceasefire, Cambodia's 11th-century Preah Vihear temple shows extensive damage from border clashes with Thailand. Cambodian authorities report damage across hundreds of sites in the complex and warn that weakened structures could collapse during the rainy season. Thailand alleges Cambodia militarized the site; Cambodia denies the claim and condemns the damage. International restoration efforts are on hold while security concerns persist.
1,000-Year-Old Preah Vihear Temple Largely Damaged After Cambodia–Thailand Border Clashes
Cambodian police officers walk past a temple damaged during border clashes with Thailand, at Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, March 14, 2026, (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Three months after a ceasefire ended intense border fighting between Cambodia and Thailand, the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on a 525-meter (1,722-foot) cliff in the Dangrek mountain range bears extensive scars from the conflict.
Damage and Current Conditions
Once famed for its weathered stone carvings and sweeping views over the Cambodian plains, large parts of the temple complex now show rubble, artillery craters and scorched vegetation. Cambodian officials report damage across hundreds of locations, and some structures are at risk of collapse as the rainy season approaches.
A deminer from the Cambodian Mine Action Center, CMAC, secures an area at Preah Vihear temple's pathway that was damaged during border clashes with Thailand, in Cambodia, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“The temple has turned quiet, and its beauty looks so sorrowful because of the tragedy,” Hem Sinath, an archaeologist and deputy director-general of the National Authority for Preah Vihear, told Associated Press journalists during a recent visit.
The site remains closed to tourists because of unstable walls and the danger posed by unexploded ordnance and possible land mines. Ropes and warning signs cordon off hazardous areas. Conservation staff, groundskeepers and troops are stationed at and around the site; Thai soldiers can be seen across the border.
Assessment And Dispute
Cambodia's Culture Ministry released a January assessment saying all five of the temple's notable gateway pavilions were hit—three nearly beyond recognition—and that an ancient northern staircase restored by a U.S.-funded project suffered severe damage. The ministry reported damage at 142 locations during fighting in July and at 420 additional sites after heavier clashes in December.
Journalists visit the Preah Vihear temple, damaged during border clashes with Thailand, at Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
No independent, outside evaluations of the damage have been published so far.
Both countries dispute responsibility. Cambodia accuses Thai forces of deliberately damaging the shrine and of acting on false intelligence. Information Minister Neth Pheaktra wrote that “Preah Vihear temple belongs to all humankind. It is not an enemy of Thailand.”
Cambodian Mine Action Center, CMAC, members stand near a temple damaged during border clashes with Thailand, at Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Thailand counters that Cambodia had militarized the site—alleging weapons systems, ammunition storage and surveillance equipment were installed—claims Cambodia denies. The Thai army said it targeted military assets, including a tall construction crane it described as part of a command-and-control system. Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree, a Thai Army spokesperson, has maintained that Thai strikes were limited to military targets.
Legal And Humanitarian Context
The temple, known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, has been the focus of a boundary dispute since the 1950s. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962, and reaffirmed in 2013, that the temple and a surrounding area of less than five square kilometers belong to Cambodia. UNESCO designated Preah Vihear a World Heritage site in 2008.
A Buddhist pagoda located beside Preah Vihear temple is seen damaged after border clashes with Thailand, at Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Cambodia reports that more than 640,000 people were displaced from border regions during the clashes, with nearly 37,000 still unable to return home. Restoration efforts involving India, China and the United States have been paused while security conditions remain unstable.
Outlook
Experts warn that weakened masonry could collapse during the rainy season, which typically runs from late May or early June through October. Cambodian officials say urgent conservation and stabilization work is needed but cannot proceed safely while the ceasefire remains fragile and access remains risky.
“We have a plan; we want to do a repair—the sooner the better, but as you see, it depends on the situation along the border,” Hem Sinath said.
Associated Press writer Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.
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