Thailand must be held fully accountable for damages caused to Cambodia
Preah Vihear Temple sustained severe damage from Thai artillery shelling during the conflict in December. FB
#opinion
I am speaking out personally because the recent actions by Thailand against Cambodia are not only violations of our national sovereignty: they are violations of international law, global norms and humanity’s shared responsibility to protect cultural heritage.
Thailand is openly testing the United Nations, the international community and UNESCO. The world has already witnessed the ongoing conflict along the Cambodia-Thailand border, and the recent incidents have been widely documented by international media and independent observers.
Thailand has failed to respect international humanitarian law and has caused serious destruction to sacred cultural and historical sites, including damage to Preah Vihear temple and other religious locations that fall under UNESCO protection. These sites are not only Cambodian treasures: they are also part of the world’s cultural heritage.
If the United Nations, the international community and UNESCO do not take decisive and compulsory measures to hold Thailand accountable – and require full compensation for the damages inflicted on Cambodia – the consequences will be far-reaching.
Inaction would send a dangerous and unacceptable message: that the UN Charter, ICJ judgements, ICC obligations and established global norms can be ignored without consequence.
Such a failure would undermine the credibility, authority and moral standing of the entire international system.
The world is watching closely. How the UN, the ICJ, the ICC and all relevant international bodies respond in this case will shape global trust in international law and determine whether future violations can be prevented – or whether they will be repeated.
History will remember the decisions made today.
Tesh Chanthorn is a Cambodian citizen who longs for peace. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
-The Phnom Penh Post-
