ICC-Preah Vihear Pledges Joint Rescue of Temple as UNESCO Warns of Unprecedented Damage

PHNOM PENH — Sept. 30, 2026: The Chinese and Indian co-chairs of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of Preah Vihear Temple (ICC-Preah Vihear) have pledged continued support and close cooperation with the Royal Government of Cambodia to conserve and restore the World Heritage site after it sustained severe damage.

The commitment was made at the 11th Technical Meeting of ICC-Preah Vihear, held on the morning of Sept. 30, 2026, in Siem Reap province, with the participation of numerous national and international experts in cultural heritage conservation.

Ms. LI Qiaozhi, China's co-chair of ICC-Preah Vihear, said the temple had suffered serious damage requiring urgent protection and conservation measures. She affirmed that China stands ready to cooperate with India and Cambodia to ensure the ancient temple can be preserved for future generations.

Mr. Vijay Shankar Prasad, India's co-chair, said India has had the honour since 2013 of participating in the restoration and conservation of several ancient Khmer temples, including the Fifth Gopura of Preah Vihear. He stressed that restoring and enhancing the value of this important cultural heritage is essential to preserving the temple's identity and universal value.

Preah Vihear Temple sustained severe damage following heavy weapons attacks in 2025. Afterwards, the ICC-Preah Vihear Ad-hoc experts inspected the site, from Poy Tadi through the First Gopura to the Fifth Gopura — the most heavily damaged area. According to an ICC-Preah Vihear press release, the inspection aimed to assess conservation progress and identify areas requiring additional protective measures.

Experts identified the most urgent task as installing a drainage system to channel water away from the temple area, to prevent further damage from water infiltration and structural collapse. They also recommended continued reinforcement at high-risk and severely affected areas to prevent further collapse and ensure the safety of the ancient structure.

The assessment follows a joint mission by UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in March 2026, which recorded hundreds of damaged locations within the Preah Vihear temple complex.

According to the Ministry of Information, UNESCO said the damage to Preah Vihear is unprecedented in scale and severity, warning that the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site is under threat. The organisation stated that "there is almost no area of the temple that has not been damaged."

Source: Ministry of Information

https://www.information.gov.kh/articles/203340

Reported by The Khmer Today