Daily News Analysis ‘Thailand–Cambodia Border Clashes’ : 18 December

Thailand and Cambodia witnessed renewed military clashes in December after violations of a ceasefire along their disputed border.

Thailand and Cambodia share an 817 km long land border in Southeast Asia.
The border dispute originates from colonial-era treaties of 1904 and 1907 between France and Siam (present-day Thailand).
Several stretches of the border remain undemarcated, leading to recurring tensions.
The dispute centres around the Dangrek Mountains region, where the boundary was to follow the watershed principle.
The Preah Vihear Temple, an 11th century Hindu temple, lies near the disputed border area.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Preah Vihear Temple belonged to Cambodia.
In 2013, the ICJ clarified that Cambodia has sovereignty over most of the surrounding area of the temple.
Armed clashes earlier occurred during 2008–2011, especially after Cambodia sought UNESCO World Heritage status for the temple.
ASEAN has attempted mediation in the past, but Thailand prefers bilateral resolution and has opposed third-party involvement.

DO YOU KNOW? Preah Vihear Temple

Preah Vihear Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located on the Cambodian–Thai border.
It dates back to the Khmer Empire (9th–12th century).
The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2008).
It has been a source of territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, settled largely by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Cambodia’s favour.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
It settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on international law.
Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands | Established: 1945.

ASEAN is a regional organisation promoting economic, political, and security cooperation in Southeast Asia.
It has 10 member countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore.
Established: 1967 | Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia.