Thailand and Cambodia both claimed an ancient temple on their border. The International Court of Justice gave it to Cambodia in 1962, but the dispute fuelled lasting hostility.
Preah Vihear is an ancient Khmer temple on a cliff along the Thai-Cambodian border. A 1904 treaty between Siam and France set the border along the watershed, but a French map of 1907 placed the temple in Cambodia.
When the French left in 1954, Thai forces occupied the temple. To Cambodians it was a symbol of their national heritage. To Thais, the map had been imposed on Siam by a colonial power.
Talks failed, and relations broke down. In late 1958 Cambodia suspended diplomatic relations, accusing Thailand of occupying the temple improperly and of massing troops on the border.
In 1959 Cambodia took the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In June 1962 the Court ruled that the temple stood on Cambodian territory, because Siam had accepted the 1907 map for decades without objecting. Thailand complied under protest and withdrew its forces.
Cold War differences deepened the hostility. Thailand was an American ally, while Prince Sihanouk followed a neutral policy and accused Thailand of backing his enemies. Cambodia did not join ASEAN until 1999.
- 1904 and 1907
- Franco-Siamese treaty; French map.
- 1958
- Cambodia suspends relations with Thailand.
- ICJ ruling
- June 1962: the temple is Cambodian.
Worked example: Explaining Preah Vihear
Why was a single temple so important?
- Territory: a border disputed since colonial treaties and maps.
- Nationalism: the temple was a symbol of national pride.
- History: centuries of Thai-Khmer rivalry.
- Cold War: Thailand's US alliance against Cambodia's neutrality.
Watch out for this
The ICJ ruling ended tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
Thailand withdrew, but resentment remained, and relations between the two countries stayed poor for years.
Check your understanding
Why did the ICJ give the temple to Cambodia?
- Siam had accepted the 1907 map for decades without objecting.
- Cambodia had the larger army.
- The UN Security Council voted for it.