Thailand’s installation of a Buddha statue on contested ground where its forces tore down a statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu has intensified diplomatic strain with Cambodia, casting a spotlight on how territorial dispute intersects with cultural and religious sensitivities along their shared border. Thai military engineers removed the Vishnu statue on 22 December 2025 near the Chong An Ma crossing in the An Ses area of Preah Vihear province, an area claimed by both sides as sovereign territory, and thereafter placed a statue of Lord Buddha at the same site — a move Phnom Penh described as provocative and inconsistent with de-escalation efforts. The demolition and replacement occurred against the backdrop of ongoing clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces that have erupted periodically since mid-2025 over the demarcation of an approximately 800-kilometre border rooted in colonial-era ambiguities. Hostilities flared in July, prompting displacement of tens of thousands and diplomatic engagement by regional powers, including a ceasefire brokered under international auspices that had temporarily eased violence before tensions escalated again in December.
Thailand asserts that the removal of the Vishnu statue was not intended as an affront to religious belief or heritage but was carried out as part of territory management and security operations after its forces regained control of the disputed zone. Bangkok’s official statements emphasise that the structure was not a registered religious site and was viewed by Thai authorities as a symbolic assertion of Cambodian sovereignty over territory claimed by Thailand. The army’s press centre said the action aimed to reduce potential friction by removing unauthorised installations in an already sensitive area.
Phnom Penh has countered that the Vishnu statue, erected by Cambodian forces in 2014 and revered by both Hindu and Buddhist communities, stood well within Cambodian territory, roughly 100 to 400 metres from the internationally recognised boundary. Cambodian officials characterised its destruction as an unacceptable act that undermined the spirit of previous ceasefire commitments and stoked nationalist sentiment domestically. The placement of a Buddha statue at the site has been criticised in Phnom Penh as an escalation with cultural overtones, deepening mistrust between the capitals.
New Delhi has weighed in with measured rebuke of the demolition, stressing that destruction of revered religious imagery has the potential to hurt sentiments across diverse communities. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored that deities such as Vishnu and Buddha hold shared civilisational significance across South and Southeast Asia, and urged both parties to pursue dialogue rather than unilateral actions that could inflame public opinion.
Observers of Southeast Asian geopolitics note that the conflation of territorial and cultural symbolism threatens to broaden what had already been a complex conflict. The Khmer-Thai frontier has been a flashpoint for decades, with disputes over forested hills and strategic high ground drawing in legal challenges and intermittent military standoffs. While a peace accord signed under regional auspices in late 2025 had set forth confidence-building measures, the latest sequence of events suggests fragile commitments to de-escalation have been strained by on-ground incidents with deep cultural resonance.
Residents on both sides of the border report heightened anxieties as security forces maintain patrols and checkpoints around contested sectors such as An Ses and nearby hills coveted for their tactical value. Analysts warn that actions perceived as disrespecting religious icons could catalyse nationalist mobilisations within the Buddhist-majority societies, potentially narrowing diplomatic space for compromise.