Flag Scarf Row Sparks Tensions at Thai-Cambodian Border Temple

[geovalin]

 

 

A tense standoff erupted at Ta Krabey Temple on the Thai-Cambodian border Saturday afternoon after a group of Thai tourists allegedly confronted Cambodian visitors over scarves bearing the Cambodian flag.

 

The incident unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on July 5 at the disputed temple site in Oddar Meanchey province, with Cambodian authorities accusing Thai tourists of attempting to ban locals from taking souvenir photos while wearing traditional krama scarves embroidered with the national emblem.

 

According to a statement from Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence, the confrontation escalated when five Thai soldiers—some reportedly off-duty and accompanying the tourists—intervened and used “insulting words” towards the Cambodian group. Ten Cambodian soldiers stationed at the temple stepped in to defuse the conflict, insisting that no agreement prohibits the display of national symbols on clothing.

 

The situation de-escalated by 4:50 p.m., but the Cambodian side has since issued a stern rebuke, calling the Thai soldiers’ actions a breach of bilateral understanding and urging them to perform their duties “with professionalism and respect.”

 

The ministry also took aim at Thai media and officials who claim Ta Krabey Temple lies within Thai sovereignty, calling such assertions “baseless” and “a distortion of reality.” Cambodia reaffirmed that the temple is geographically and legally within its territory, citing international maps and agreements.

 

In a pointed appeal, Phnom Penh urged Bangkok to jointly refer the ownership of Ta Krabey and other contested sites—including Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and the Three-Point Border Area—to the International Court of Justice for a final resolution.

 

This latest flare-up underscores the enduring sensitivity surrounding temple sites along the Dangrek mountain range, where lines of history, nationalism and international law have long blurred. While no violence occurred, the emotional charge of the encounter has heightened calls for clearer rules and mutual restraint.

 

Both sides publicly maintain a commitment to peace, but incidents like these reveal how fragile the calm can be.

 

-2025-07-07