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Background & Dispute Origins
The Preah Vihear temple is located on the border between Thailand and Cambodia
For Thailand: The location has access to roads leading into the northeastern provinces and onward toward the Chao Phraya River Delta, its economic and agricultural heartland.
For Cambodia: The location gives access points toward Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the temple itself lies within Cambodian sovereignty, based primarily on the Franco-Siamese 1908 map.
The dispute tension intensified after the temple was recognised as a UNESCO heritage site in 2008, causing a rise in nationalist movement in Thailand.
Cause of conflict
Both countries based their claims on a different map.
Annex I Map: created by French military cartographers around 1907
This map shows that the Preah Vihear Temple lies within Cambodian territory
but if borders followed the watershed line, the temple would be on the Thai side and Thailand argues the Annex I Map was never formally approved, is only a reference, and does not follow the treaty's original principles.
However, Thailand has never dissented against this map’s border demarcation, which can be considered as tacit acknowledgement of Cambodian acquisition.
To conclude, the lack of clarity in the Court’s judgment led both countries to interpret the Court’s judgment in a manner that favored its own position, and Cambodia’s World Heritage nomination intensified the dispute, resulting in armed clashes in 2008 and 2011
Timeline: Background
(1959-2011)
1959 Documents requested from the Court of Justice during the determination of the Thai-Cambodian border
In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that Preah Vihear Temple was within Cambodian territory.
In 1997, the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) was established.
In 2000, the MOU 2000 was signed, a memorandum of understanding between the Thai government and the Cambodian government on the survey and demarcation of land borders.
In 2007, Cambodia unilaterally applied to register Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site.
Between 2008 and 2011, there were several clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border, along with the movement on the World Heritage issue.
Timeline: Today’s Ongoing Conflict
(2025)
28 May a clash occurred in Chong Bok area, fragile border areas. The area in question lies within an area where there has not yet been an official border demarcation between Thailand and Cambodia, and is an area that both sides have consistently claimed overlapping claims to. Resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded an investigation into the shooting death of a Cambodian soldier by Thai soldiers, claiming that the Thai soldiers fired first without justification. They are also demanding that the perpetrators be brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or the World Court.
The Thai government has issued a statement confirming its refusal to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and its commitment to peaceful means, using bilateral mechanisms to resolve the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.
12 June - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the end of internet and electricity purchases from Thailand, as well as the suspension of the broadcast of Thai films.
13 June - Cambodia closed the border gate opposite the permanent border crossing at Ban Laem, Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi Province, without prior notice.
14-15 June - Thailand-Cambodia 6th Meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (JBC)
18 June - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen released a video clip to the public on his conversation with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn
21 June - General Boonsin Padklang, 2nd army area commander approved the indefinite closure of the Chong Sai Taku temporary border crossing in Ban Kruat district, Buriram province
23 July - Thailand downgraded diplomatic ties with Cambodia, recalling Thai ambassador back and expelled Cambodia ambassador.
24 July - The dispute explodes into full-blown armed conflict along multiple parts of the border, especially at Ta Moan Thom and Ta Krabei. Artillery, rockets, and Thai air strikes are reported. Both sides accuse the other of initiating fire.
24-28 July - Heavy clashes between Thai and Cambodia, hundreds of soldiers and civilians were killed on both sides.
28 July - Thailand and Cambodia agreed upon ceasefire in Malaysia, under the auspices of ASEAN
29-30 July - Reported by the Royal Thai Army (RTA), Cambodia has violated the ceasefire agreement.
6-7 August - Thai and Cambodia joined the General Border Committee (Gbc) in Kuala Lumpur and agreed on the 13-points agreement
16 October - Thai Prime Minister Anutin and Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen signed the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord at the Kuala Lumpur Convention during the 47th ASEAN summit in Malaysia
10 November, Thailand announced the suspension of the peace agreement it had signed with Cambodia after the landmine explosion in Srisaket province. However, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence asserted the explosion was caused by old landmines from past conflicts.
7 December, Cambodian and Thai troops confronted each other along the border, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the clash. The incident resulted in two Thai soldiers injured and led to border evacuations amid concerns of escalation.
8–9 December, Cambodia reported that Thai shelling killed seven civilians and injured 20 more, condemned the attacks as violations of the ceasefire and cultural heritage, and called for international intervention.
10 December, Cambodia withdrew its delegation from the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand due to escalating border clashes and fears expressed by athletes’ families.
11 December, Thai air and artillery strikes destroyed a casino and oil depot in Oddar Meanchey province of Cambodia.
References:
ชัยชนะ "เขาพระวิหาร" แรงบันดาลใจ กัมพูชายื่นคดีสู่ "ศาลโลก" | Thai PBS
The Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute | Geopolitical Futures
ปัญหาความขัดแย้งไทย-ลาวในช่วงปี พ.ศ. 2518-ปัจจุบัน | CUIR at Chulalongkorn University
Thailand and Cambodia: The Battle for Preah Vihear | SPICE - Stanford University
Timeline of The Thailand - Cambodia Border Conflict | Royal Thai Government
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