Cambodian minister renews dispute over Thai temple’s resemblance to Angkor Wat

Cambodia’s Culture and Fine Arts Minister has strongly condemned the construction of a temple in Thailand’s Buri Ram province, which it claims replicates the historic Angkor Temple, characterizing it as a violation of Cambodia’s cultural heritage.

Phoeurng Sackona expressed grave concerns over the building of the Siha Nakhon Temple within the compound of the Phu Man Fah Temple in Buri Ram, a province that borders Cambodia.

She made the remarks during the 40th Technical Session of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC-Angkor/Sambor Prei Kuk), held in Siem Reap on Thursday.

“The replication of the Angkor Wat’s architectural blueprint in the construction of Siha Nakhon is a blatant infringement upon Cambodia’s national identity and cultural soul,” she stated.

She added that the construction constitutes a serious breach of Thailand’s obligations as a State Party to the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the Khmer Times reported.

This statement, however, contradicts a declaration issued by her ministry in 2023, which confirmed that the Thai temple was not a replica of Angkor Wat and did not imitate the famous Cambodian site.

According to The Phnom Penh Post on October 1, 2023, that conclusion followed an inspection by ministry experts, who assessed the site to ensure no violations had occurred.

Sackona has served as minister since 2013.

The minister’s condemnation comes amid strained relations between Thailand and Cambodia, following the fatal clash on May 28 in a disputed area of Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province.

The Buri Ram temple has been the subject of controversy in the years since Cambodian netizens began to claim that it imitates Angkor Wat in Siem Reap province and called on Cambodian authorities to investigate the matter.