Thai army rejects Cambodia’s claim of attack on Preah Vihear Temple

The Thai Army has rejected Cambodia’s allegations that Thai forces attacked Preah Vihear Temple, violated international law and damaged the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site.

Army spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said today that Cambodia itself had used the ancient temple for military purposes. He was responding to a statement issued by Cambodia yesterday, which cited a UNESCO assessment report to support its claim that the temple had been damaged.

The Thai Army disputed Cambodia’s account, accusing Phnom Penh of distorting information to influence the international community.

Winthai said Thailand remained committed to international law and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

He argued, however, that cultural property could lose its protection under certain circumstances if used for military purposes, in accordance with the convention’s provisions.

He accused Cambodia of turning areas around Preah Vihear Temple into military positions, deploying grenade launchers, artillery, ammunition depots and anti-drone systems.

The Army alleged that these facilities had been used to launch attacks against Thai troops and civilian communities. It argued that Cambodia’s military use of the temple had therefore compromised its protected status.

Winthai said Thailand’s actions constituted self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. He maintained that Thai forces had restricted their use of weapons to military targets posing an immediate threat and had employed precision weapons.

The Army also said Thailand had no policy of deliberately targeting civilians or ancient monuments. It disputed Cambodia’s reference to a draft assessment by the World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

The Army accused Cambodia of portraying itself as the victim to divert international attention from its own actions.

According to the Thai Army, damage to the temple’s integrity and “Outstanding Universal Value” had resulted from Cambodia’s alleged use of the World Heritage Site as military cover.