Cambodia Rejects Thai Claims Over K'nar and Ta Krabey Temples, Demands Return of Artifacts

Phnom Penh, October 27, 2026: The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has strongly rejected claims by Thai Minister of Culture H.E. Sabeeda Thaised that K'nar temple and Ta Krabey temple lie within Thai territory, insisting both were built by Khmer ancestors and sit inside the Kingdom of Cambodia.

In a statement issued today, the ministry dismissed the Thai minister's remarks, published in the Khaosod newspaper on Oct. 25, 2026, which also asserted that Thailand has listed the temples on its national heritage register under domestic law and refused to return artifacts removed from the temple areas on the grounds they were collected for study, maintenance and conservation.

The ministry said the temples, along with several others along the Cambodia-Thailand border currently under unlawful control by the Thai military, are fully consistent with the 1:200,000 scale map produced by the Commissions of Delimitation of the Boundary between Indo-China and Siam in the spirit of the 1907 Franco-Siamese Convention. Thailand has consistently recognised and adhered to this map, as reflected in the 2003 Terms of Reference and agreed technical records, and its validity was affirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1962 and 2013, when Thailand's challenges were rejected. Following the border conflict Thailand initiated against Cambodia in 2025, Bangkok declared it would not recognise the map's validity.

The ministry added that even the Series L7017 map, unilaterally drawn by the Thai military and devoid of legal value under international law, depicts the temples as lying within Cambodian territory—undeniable evidence, it said.

It argued that Thai administrative measures, such as listing the temples on its national heritage roster and claiming management and conservation rights without Cambodia's consent, are deliberate attempts to create a fait accompli. Under international law, such actions do not constitute lawful administration, create no inviolable ownership rights and cannot prevail over Cambodia's lawful sovereignty and territorial title, grounded in border stability, historical boundary maps, treaties and prior agreements.

The ministry said the unilateral removal of artifacts from areas unlawfully occupied by the Thai military and without Cambodia's consent violates international legal norms, including obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention, the 1972 World Heritage Convention and UNESCO instruments on cultural property. It described the actions as intentional attempts to alter the border environment, destroy technical evidence and modify the original topography of the border zone, contradicting Article 5 of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, which vests authority over boundary survey and demarcation on the ground solely in the Joint Boundary Commission.

The ministry expressed deep regret that Thailand's culture ministry continues actions that damage trust, good-neighbourly relations and respect for sovereignty—vital for restoring normalised ties for the benefit of both peoples—and warned such moves provoke unnecessary border tension, undermining commitments including the Joint Statement of Dec. 27, 2025.

Cambodia firmly called on Thailand to immediately cease all unauthorised activities at Cambodian cultural heritage sites, ensure the return of archaeological objects removed from K'nar Temple, and fully respect Cambodia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and cultural heritage. It urged Thailand to resume Joint Boundary Commission work without delay and resolve outstanding boundary issues peacefully through dialogue in accordance with international law and bilateral agreements.

Source: Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts

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Reported by The Khmer Today