AKP Phnom Penh, March 05, 2026 --

Teams from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) have continued their operations to locate and clear explosive remnants in the vicinity of Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated on the Dangrek mountain range in Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province.

The clearance activities were carried out on the afternoon of Mar. 4, following damage caused by recent armed incursions by Thai forces in the area.

During the two periods of military aggression against Cambodia’s sovereignty in July and December 2025, Thai forces launched artillery shelling and dropped bombs indiscriminately, causing damage to homes, civilian infrastructure, pagodas, schools, health centres and ancient temples. Among the sites affected was the historic Preah Vihear Temple, which suffered significant damage.

Recently, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts also firmly rejected allegations made by a senior Thai diplomat accusing Cambodia of using Preah Vihear Temple as a military site, describing the claim as misleading to the international community.

In their separate statements, the Ministries underlined Cambodia’s obligations as a State Party to the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention, affirming the country’s firm and full commitment to protecting and preserving the Temple and cultural property exclusively for peaceful, cultural, and religious functions.

They explained that the presence of Cambodian security guards at the site is solely intended to protect cultural heritage and safeguard Cambodia’s sovereignty. This protective presence cannot be interpreted as military use of the Temple. The administration of the site remains under the authority of competent civilian heritage institutions, while any security arrangements are strictly limited, protective in nature, and proportionate to the need to safeguard the site.

The two Ministries concluded by reaffirming that the Temple of Preah Vihear is, and will remain, a monument of peace, culture, and shared human heritage, and not a site for military purposes, adding that the protection of World Heritage Sites is a collective responsibility of the international community.

By C. Nika