Thailand-Cambodia clashes: India voices concern over damage to Preah Vihear conservation facilities

India has expressed concern over reports of damage to conservation facilities at the Preah Vihear temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, amid the latest round of border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.

Perched atop a cliff on the edge of the Dangrek mountain range, the 11th-century Shiva temple is renowned for its unique architectural alignment over an 800-metre axis, and its intricately carved stone ornamentation.

Its remote location has helped preserve its structural integrity, but periodic skirmishes along the Thailand-Cambodia border have made the area vulnerable to collateral damage.

Responding to media queries on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said any harm to conservation infrastructure at the historic site was “unfortunate” and a “matter of concern”, noting India’s longstanding involvement in the temple’s preservation efforts.

Calling Preah Vihear a shared cultural heritage of humanity, Jaiswal said New Delhi hoped that “all measures will be taken to fully safeguard the site and related conservation facilities”.

He reiterated India’s appeal to both sides to exercise restraint, halt hostilities and prevent further escalation, urging a return to dialogue and peace.

The remarks came a day after UNESCO registered “strong concern” over renewed tensions near the centuries-old temple, reminding the parties of their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention on protecting cultural property during armed conflict.

The UN agency has shared the geographical coordinates of all World Heritage and nationally significant sites with the parties concerned, and said it stood ready to offer technical assistance when conditions allowed.