Cambodia Demands Global Condemnation After Thai Shelling Destroys Ta Krabey Temple

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 11, 2025) — Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has issued a blistering denunciation of the Thai military after renewed shelling on Dec. 10 obliterated Ta Krabey Temple, a revered 11th century Khmer monument.

The temple, built under Kings Suryavarman I and Udayadityavarman II, had already sustained heavy damage in attacks the previous day. Despite public appeals, strikes resumed, leaving the site “devastated in its appearance and architectural structure,” the Ministry said.

Located in Banteay Ampil District, Ta Krabey had stood intact for nearly a millennium and was preserved as a symbol of Khmer civilization. Officials described its destruction as “immoral, uncivilized, barbaric, and a blatant violation” of international conventions, including the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

Cambodia urged nations, UNESCO, ASEAN, and the wider international community to condemn Thailand’s actions, demand an immediate halt to cultural destruction, and enforce respect for the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration on peace.

“The loss of Ta Krabey Temple is a cultural tragedy and a lesson for future generations to protect heritage and prevent such crimes from ever happening again,” the Ministry said, adding that the site, though nearly erased, remains a powerful symbol of Khmer identity.