Thai cluster munitions attacks on Preah Vihear threaten Cambodian tourism, security

Culture minister Phoeung Sackona recently inspected the severe damage suffered by the Preah Vihear Temple. Supplied

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Senior Cambodian officials have warned that Thailand’s use of cluster munitions has not only caused damage to a World Heritage site but also poses long-term risks to national security and the Kingdom’s tourism industry.

Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), addressed the April 6 “Damage to Preah Vihear Temple, a World Heritage Site” press conference. He explained that the Thai cluster bomb attacks affecting more than 2,300 square kilometres were not accidental, but constituted actions with long-term socio-economic consequences.

“[The Thai military] did not target troops, but fired cluster munitions at our civilian villages. It is not by chance that Thai forces shelled Preah Vihear Temple,” he said.

Ratana added that unexploded ordnance (UXO) will continue to pose a major obstacle to tourism development if not addressed promptly.

“If UXO issues are not resolved, do not expect tourists to visit. This creates long-term insecurity for the temple, which appears to be the intended target,” he warned.

He explained that clearing cluster munitions is a lengthy process, particularly in forested areas where bomblets can become lodged in trees by their parachutes. Without sufficient technical capacity and resources, clearance operations could take decades.

Although more than 150 countries are party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, neither Cambodia nor Thailand has joined.

However, Ratana noted that both countries are signatories to other key international treaties, including the Chemical Weapons Convention — which Cambodia joined in 2005 and Thailand in 2003 — as well as agreements related to anti-personnel mines.

He stressed that non-membership in a specific convention does not grant any country the right to use weapons without accountability.

At the same forum, Pheng Sam Oeun, deputy director-general of the National Authority of Preah Vihear, said the temple has sustained a total of 562 points of damage due to Thai attacks.

He noted that key structural elements — including walls, roofs and the temple’s core structure — have been affected, with some sections at risk of collapse. Experts are currently preparing preliminary plans for urgent restoration and safeguarding measures.

The official added that Cambodia has continuously reported the damage to UNESCO. The first round of damage, recorded in July, documented 142 affected sites, while a second report detailed 420 additional cases, with further documentation also submitted.

Cambodian officials described the situation as a tragedy for both national and global heritage, and a serious challenge to the tourism sector, with potentially long-lasting impacts if effective remedial measures are not implemented.

-Phnom Penh Post-
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