Extensive damage to Preah Vihear Temple: Cambodia submits findings to UNESCO

Extensive damage to Preah Vihear Temple: Cambodia submits findings to UNESCO

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Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts released a detailed assessment of the extensive damage inflicted on Preah Vihear Temple today, January 12. Preah Vihear, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was struck by artillery and aerial attacks. The ministry has formally submitted its findings to UNESCO and the international community.

In a press release issued today, the ministry explained that damage to the temple complex and surrounding areas was recorded following military hostilities from July 24–28 and again from December 7–27, 2025.

The assessments were conducted by the National Authority for Preah Vihear and supported by video, photographic evidence, and unexploded ordnance clearance reports prepared by the Cambodian Mine Action Center.

“The damage recorded from 24 to 28 July 2025 consist of 142 locations within the Preah Vihear Temple complex and 42 locations in the surrounding areas, including Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, public infrastructure, and the conservation office buildings of the National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV),” said the ministry.

The ministry said nearby communities also suffered damage at 60 locations, including homes, schools and pagodas, forcing 14,832 residents to flee their homes. These damages were officially documented in October 2025.

The scale of destruction recorded in December was significantly more severe.

“Almost all major architectural structures of the temple, from Gopura I to Gopura V, including all connecting causeways and the ancient northern staircase, suffered severe damage,” said the ministry, citing the photographic and video evidence collected by the NAPV during a documentation mission conducted on December 28.

“This damage resulted from repeated heavy artillery shelling and aerial bombardment carried out by unmanned aerial vehicles and fighter aircraft, directly targeting the Preah Vihear World Heritage site,” it added.

Routine conservation and restoration activities were halted, and supporting infrastructure was completely destroyed.

Several international cooperation projects were also affected.

Under the Cambodia–US Northern Ancient Staircase Conservation and Restoration Project, both original and restored sections of the staircase were damaged, and conservation facilities and equipment were destroyed.

The Cambodia–India Gopura V Conservation and Restoration Project sustained extensive structural damage, while architectural structures at Gopura I, II and III, supported through Cambodia–China cooperation, were described as having suffered damage so severe that previous restoration studies are no longer applicable.

“The two attacks committed by the Thai military against the Sacred Temple of Preah Vihear caused extensive destruction and severe damage to original architectural structures, restored components, inscriptions, conservation buildings, and technical equipment,” it said.

“These attacks have significantly hindered the conservation efforts of national institutions and international partners,” it continued.

The Damage Assessment Reports have been submitted to UNESCO, the World Heritage Committee, the International Coordinating Committee for Preah Vihear (ICC-Preah Vihear) member states and other international partners.

The ministry called on international organisations and the global community to support urgent measures to protect the temple from further harm, as well as emergency conservation and restoration work.

It also reiterated the importance of respecting international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its 1999 Second Protocol, as well as international humanitarian law, which obligates states to safeguard cultural heritage of outstanding universal value.

It said Cambodia will continue research and detailed documentation of the damage, while maintaining close coordination with national and international institutions in technical, diplomatic and legal fields to ensure the protection, restoration and long-term preservation of the Sacred Temple of Preah Vihear.

“This information is provided for the awareness of the national and international public,” the ministry said.

-The Phnom Penh Post-