Thailand and Cambodia are locked in a bitter spat over an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet. This area is also home to several ancient temples, including the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple near which the recent clashes broke out early Thursday.
The ancient Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia has also been the site of some of the most prominent and violent past conflicts between the countries.
Prasat Preah Vihear and Prasat Ta Muen Thom, both Khmer-era Hindu temples about 95 miles apart, are two of the key sites where tensions flared on Thursday.
Both countries claim ownership of these disputed sites.
Here’s all you need to know about Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple in Thailand and Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia:
Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple in Thailand
The ancient Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple stands along the border of Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province. It is among the contested sites in Thailand’s northeastern Surin province.
Prasat Ta Muen Thom archaeological site is located at Ban Nong Khanna, Tambon Ta Mueang and is on the Thai-Cambodian border. It is a Khmer archaeological site of three buildings located nearby each other.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It houses a Shivling from a natural rock formation in its sanctum sanctorum.
Prasat Ta Muen Thom is located about 800 metres to the south of Prasat Ta Muen Tot. It was assumed to have been built around the 12th century, which is older than its two companion temples — Prasat Ta Muen and Prasat Ta Muen Tot.
It is part of a larger temple complex on a strategic pass along the ancient Khmer highway that links Angkor in present‑day Cambodia with Phimai in Thailand.
Why is Ta Muen Thom at the centre of the conflict?
Both sides have been fighting because of the temple’s location. The temple, accessible from both sides, is in a poorly demarcated part of the border and stands as an important religious and cultural site for both Cambodians and the Thai.
Troops from both countries constantly patrol the temple’s area, leading to frequent skirmishes.
Cambodia claims the temple is based on historical Khmer Empire boundaries, which included modern-day Cambodia and parts of Thailand. But Thailand say it’s in its Surin province.
Earlier in February, a group of Cambodian soldiers had reportedly visited the temple area and began singing their national anthem, The Khmer Times, a Cambodian news outlet, reported. They were confronted by Thai soldiers.
Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia
The Preah Vihear temple is dedicated to Shiva and is situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site that has been at the center of past disputes.
It “is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture, in terms of plan, decoration and relationship to the spectacular landscape environment,” UNESCO says.
UNESCO records the temple as dating back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded.
This site is particularly well preserved, mainly due to its remote location.
Why is Preah Vihear temple at centre of the conflict?
Amid the violence at the border, the Thai air force said F-16 jets carried out two bombing runs on Cambodian positions. Cambodia claimed those bombs landed near the Preah Vihear temple.
The contesting claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule that was used to separate Cambodia from Thailand.
Cambodia has been using the map as a reference to claim territory, while Thailand has argued the map is inaccurate.
Cambodia complained that Thailand had occupied a piece of its territory surrounding the ruins of the Temple of Preah Vihear.
It asked the International Court of Justice to declare that territorial sovereignty over the Temple belonged to it and that Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw the armed detachment stationed there since 1954.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple area to Cambodia. The ruling became a major irritant in bilateral relations.
It also held that Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw any military or police force stationed there and to restore to Cambodia any objects removed from the ruins since 1954.