Cambodia has lodged a formal protest against Thailand after the installation of a Buddha statue in Preah Vihear province, saying the move violates its sovereignty and breaches international agreements.

The Ministry of Cults and Religion issued the statement on Thursday, condemning the Thai military for placing the statue in An Ses village, Choam Ksan district, an area Phnom Penh considers occupied. The protest follows a similar warning from Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs a day earlier, which criticised recent Thai activities along the contested border.

Officials said the statue was erected on the site where a Lord Vishnu figure once stood before being destroyed, allegedly by Thai forces. Cambodia argues the act goes beyond cultural or religious symbolism, amounting to a direct infringement of territorial sovereignty. “The installation of the new statue on the site of the destroyed Lord Vishnu statue is a violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and runs counter to the fundamental principles of international law,” the ministry declared.

The statement also pointed to a series of bilateral agreements designed to prevent escalation, including the July 2025 ceasefire, minutes of General Border Committee meetings, and joint declarations signed in October and December last year. These documents, Cambodia stressed, reaffirm both sides’ obligation not to take unilateral measures.

Phnom Penh has urged Thailand to halt what it described as “abusive activities” and to resolve disputes through peaceful means, in line with agreed mechanisms and mutual respect for sovereignty.

The Preah Vihear border area has long been a flashpoint between the two neighbours, with overlapping claims sparking periodic tensions. Cambodia’s latest protest underscores the fragility of recent ceasefire efforts and highlights the risk of renewed confrontation if agreements are not upheld.

-2026-01-25

On 1/25/2026 at 5:01 AM, geovalin said:

protest against Thailand after the installation of a Buddha statue in Preah Vihear province, saying the move violates its sovereignty and breaches international agreements.

Easy solution - bring in a Khmer backhoe and demolish it!!