Cambodia condemns Thailand’s demolition of a Hindu Vishnu statue in a disputed border area, escalating tensions amid ongoing military clashes.
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has accused the Thai army of destroying a Hindu statue in a disputed border area, escalating diplomatic tensions amid ongoing military clashes.
Government spokesman Kim Chanpanha said the demolition of the Vishnu statue occurred on Monday about 100 metres from the border with Thailand.
“The statue was inside our territory in the An Ses area,” said Chanpanha. He condemned the destruction of ancient temples and statues worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers.
Videos showing the demolition using a back-hoe loader circulated on Thai social media and local media. AFP analysis found no signs of AI manipulation in the footage and independently verified the statue’s location.
The incident adds to a border conflict that reignited this month, killing more than 40 people and displacing around a million. Each side has blamed the other for instigating the fresh fighting and for attacks on civilians.
Cambodia has repeatedly alleged Thai forces have damaged temple ruins along the border during the clashes. Thailand has countered that Cambodia was positioning soldiers at the centuries-old stone structures.
A spokesperson for the Thai army has not replied to a request for comment. Thailand on Tuesday rejected a Cambodian request to hold bilateral talks in a neutral country to negotiate an end to the skirmish.
Thai officials said a four-day meeting would begin on Wednesday in Chanthaburi province, but Phnom Penh has yet to confirm attendance. The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre border.
