The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Arts (MCFA) has rejected the statements of Thai Minister of Culture Sabida Thaiseth - who argues that Ta Krabei and Tamone temples belong to Thai sovereignty.
Ancient Hindu temples located along the border have long been a hot spot of dispute between the two countries, in which Ta Krabei temple was heavily damaged by Thai shelling in clashes in December 2025. The Thai side said that it will repair the damage caused by their forces to this temple.
In a press release on February 8, the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Arts reaffirmed that the above-mentioned historical relics are completely within the sovereign territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and resolutely rejected all claims from Thailand.
This has been clearly established in the French-Simese Treaties of 1904 and 1907 and accompanying maps, which are also the legal basis cited by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the 1962 ruling related to Preah Vihear Temple" - MCFA emphasized.
The MCFA argues that all claims based on unilateral registration, domestic administrative decisions from 1935 or unrecognized maps have no legal value under international law and cannot change the binding validity of bilateral treaties.
Not only that, all restoration and repair activities carried out without the consent of the sovereign state violate the Memorandum of Understanding of 2000 on Land Border Demarcation (MOU 2000), and go against the spirit of ASEAN cooperation.
The MCFA continues to affirm that the occupation or control of cultural heritage through military presence or the use of force is a prohibited act under the United Nations Charter and the 1954 The Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in Case of Armed Conflict.
For the benefit of regional stability and historical truth, Cambodia calls on Thailand to end all unilateral activities at these locations. If disagreements persist, Cambodia proposes a transparent, legally binding solution through the International Court of Justice, instead of using force or tense statements" - the MCFA statement stated.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is always steadfast in its responsibility to protect cultural heritage and maintain the integrity of national borders" - MCFA declared.
