AKP Phnom Penh, January 24, 2026 —

Cambodia has warned it will not tolerate the "destruction" of ancient temples and religious landmarks by Thai military forces.

H.E. Pen Bona, Head of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit, told reporters at the Office of the Council of Ministers on Saturday that Cambodia is prepared to take a firm stand against what it describes as systematic incursions into its sovereign cultural sites.

The Ministry of Cults and Religion filed a formal protest on Jan. 22, alleging Thai troops destroyed a historic statue of Vishnu and replaced it with a Thai-style Buddha image to assert territorial presence.

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts issued a concurrent protest against Thai military construction near the ancient temple, calling the infrastructure projects a "blatant violation" of international law.

The accusations come at a sensitive time for regional stability. H.E. Pen Bona noted that these actions directly contradict a ceasefire signed on July 28, 2025, and a subsequent joint declaration made in late December.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia will not remain silent," H.E. Pen Bona said, adding that the Thai military’s maneuvers ignore bilateral commitments to resolve disputes through peaceful negotiation rather than force.

By K. Rithy Reak