UNESCO has expressed strong concern over renewed conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, warning that the escalation threatens cultural heritage in the border region, including the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In a statement, the Paris-based organisation called for the urgent protection of cultural heritage “in all its forms” and reminded all parties of their obligations under international law, notably the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1972 World Heritage Convention. “UNESCO will continue to monitor the situation of cultural heritage in the region, with a view…
Author: Raksmey Hong
As fighting intensifies along the Cambodia–Thailand border, the wife of a Cambodian soldier has fled her home with her four children after Thai F-16 fighter jets flew low over their home, highlighting the growing toll of the conflict on military families, even far from the frontlines. Ho Vanna, whose husband is currently deployed with Cambodian forces near the disputed border area – Mom Bai, said she was at home caring for her children when a fighter jet was seen and heard flying low above their house. Her home is very close where heavy fighting is taking place near Teuk Kraham,…
Thai singer and actress Violette Wautier has publicly complained about what she described as serious mismanagement during her performance at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, saying the incident damaged her reputation and professional dignity. In a lengthy Facebook post to her more than 2.2 million followers, Violette addressed widespread criticism over what viewers described as noticeably off-key singing during the live broadcast of the SEA Games 2025 opening ceremony. The singer said the problem did not stem from her vocal ability, but from a breakdown in technical coordination by the event organisers. According to Violette, organisers…
For the third consecutive day, thousands of Cambodian families displaced by cross-border shelling and the deployment of Thai F-16 fighter jets remain in shelter in schools, pagodas and temporary evacuation centres near the Cambodia–Thailand border, uncertain when it will be safe to return home. The clashes, which began early on December 7, have forced residents in several border districts to flee amid fears of renewed artillery fire and air operations. Many evacuees say they left their homes with little more than the clothes they were wearing, abandoning farms, livestock and their daily sources of income. “We felt uneasy when the…
The number of civilians displaced by ongoing military clash along the border continued to rise as of midday on December 9, according to official data released by the Preah Vihear Provincial Administration. The latest figures show 13,056 people seeking refuge across eight temporary evacuation sites, including 6,523 women. This marks a sharp increase from the 5,597 displaced individuals recorded on December 8. “The largest increases were observed at Wat Oddar Kiri Toul Andet, where the population surged from 2,286 to 3,268 people, and at Wat Piang Angkar, which grew from 1,514 to 2,810 displaced residents within 24 hours. Smaller but…
The Asian Cultural Council (ACC) has raised alarm over renewed fighting along the Cambodia–Thailand border, saying the latest clashes have placed several nationally and internationally significant heritage sites at risk, alongside causing civilian casualties and displacement. In a December 9 statement, the ACC said the clashes on December 7 and 8, involving heavy weapons and airstrikes, had escalated tensions and resulted in attacks affecting major cultural and historical landmarks. The council specifically named the Preah Vihear Temple, Ta Mone Thom Temple, Ta Krabei Temple and Khna Temple as sites impacted by the violence. “The Asian Cultural Council calls on the…
Nearly 18,000 Cambodian civilians have been forced to flee their homes following large-scale attacks by Thai armed forces along the Cambodia–Thailand border. The attacks resulting in at least four deaths and nine injuries, according to consolidated reports released on the evening of December 8, 2025. As of 7pm on December 8, authorities recorded 9,005 displaced families, or 17,891 people, including 10,172 women, according to a report by the Ministry of Interior. These figures do not include data from Banteay Meanchey province, where an additional 3,080 families have also been evacuated amid continued hostilities. “The attacks, described by Cambodian authorities as…
International news agencies carried near-identical headlines this morning, after Thailand confirmed it had launched air strikes against “military targets” in Cambodia, marking the most serious escalation in border tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours in years and putting a fragile US-brokered ceasefire at risk. Reuters, CNN International, Al Jazeera, The Straits Times and Asia Nikkei all reported that the Thai air force began strikes along disputed border areas early Monday, December 8, following renewed clashes. According to Reuters, the Thai military said its troops had come under Cambodian fire in two areas of Ubon Ratchathani province, prompting the use…
Cambodia has received formal approval for a new deadline to complete its nationwide anti-personnel mine clearance, after state parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention unanimously backed the country’s third extension request, during a meeting in Geneva from December 1–5. The decision sets December 31, 2030, as Cambodia’s revised target for fulfilling its obligations under Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention, an extension to the Kingdom’s decades-long effort to eliminate landmines left from past conflicts. According to the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), the approval reflects strong international confidence in Cambodia’s mine action programme and its “sustained…
The government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to develop digital skills for at least 100,000 citizens over the next decade, as part of its broader effort to strengthen the country’s digital economy and society. The policy was announced during the opening of the Digital Government Forum 2025 on December 5 in Phnom Penh, which also highlighted advances in digital classrooms, community technology centers and civil servant training programmes. Minister in Charge of the Council of Ministers Vongsey Vissoth emphasised that rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are reshaping the global economic landscape, creating both opportunities and risks. …