The 2008–2011 Cambodian–Thai border crisis began in June 2008 until December 2011 as part of long-standing territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand involving the area surrounding Preah Vihear, an 11th-century Hindu temple in the Dângrêk Mountains, between Choam Khsant District, Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia and the Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province of northeastern Thailand.
According to the Cambodian ambassador to the United Nations, the dispute began on 15 July 2008 when about 50 Thai soldiers moved into the Keo Sikhakirisvara Pagoda vicinity which he claimed was located in Cambodia's territory about 300 metres (980 ft) from Preah Vihear. Thailand claimed the demarcation had not yet been completed for the external parts of the area adjacent to the temple, which was adjudged to be Cambodian by a nine to three decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962.
By August 2008, the dispute had expanded to the 13th century Ta Moan temple complex 153 kilometres (95 mi) west of Preah Vihear (14°20′57″N 103°15′59″E), where Cambodia has accused Thai troops of occupying a temple complex it claims is on Cambodian land. The Thai foreign ministry denied that any troops had moved into that area until several were killed in an encounter in April 2011. An agreement was reached in December 2011 to withdraw troops from the disputed area.
On 11 November 2013, the ICJ declared in a unanimous decision that the 1962 ICJ judgment had awarded all of the promontory of Preah Vihear to Cambodia and that Thailand had an obligation to withdraw any Thai military, police, or guard forces stationed in that area. However, it rejected Cambodia's argument that the judgment had also awarded the hill of Phu Makhuea (three kilometers northwest of the temple) to Cambodia, finding that it had made no ruling on sovereignty over the hill.
The 2008–2011 Cambodian–Thai border crisis began in June 2008 until December 2011 as part of long-standing territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand involving the area surrounding Preah Vihear, an 11th-century Hindu temple in the Dângrêk Mountains, between Choam Khsant District, Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia and the Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province of northeastern Thailand.
According to the Cambodian ambassador to the United Nations, the dispute began on 15 July 2008 when about 50 Thai soldiers moved into the Keo Sikhakirisvara Pagoda vicinity which he claimed was located in Cambodia's territory about 300 metres (980 ft) from Preah Vihear. Thailand claimed the demarcation had not yet been completed for the external parts of the area adjacent to the temple, which was adjudged to be Cambodian by a nine to three decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962.
By August 2008, the dispute had expanded to the 13th century Ta Moan temple complex 153 kilometres (95 mi) west of Preah Vihear (14°20′57″N 103°15′59″E / 14.34917°N 103.26639°E), where Cambodia has accused Thai troops of occupying a temple complex it claims is on Cambodian land. The Thai foreign ministry denied that any troops had moved into that area until several were killed in an encounter in April 2011. An agreement was reached in December 2011 to withdraw troops from the disputed area.
On 11 November 2013, the ICJ declared in a unanimous decision that the 1962 ICJ judgment had awarded all of the promontory of Preah Vihear to Cambodia and that Thailand had an obligation to withdraw any Thai military, police, or guard forces stationed in that area. However, it rejected Cambodia's argument that the judgment had also awarded the hill of Phu Makhuea (three kilometers northwest of the temple) to Cambodia, finding that it had made no ruling on sovereignty over the hill.
Background
In the 1950s, a dispute between Thailand and a newly independent Cambodia arose over the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple, which stood on the two countries' borders. The dispute stemmed from demarcation maps produced in accordance with the Franco-Siamese treaties of 1904 and 1907, which defined the modern boundary between Thailand (then known as Siam) and Cambodia (then part of French Indochina). According to the treaties, the border would follow the natural watershed of the Dangrek Mountains. However, the resulting map deviated by showing Preah Vihear as being in Cambodia, even though it is on the Thai side of the watershed. Thailand accepted the map for official use. The Thais discovered the error when they made their own survey in the 1930s, but the ICJ ruled that they had waited too long to protest and lost the temple by "acquiescence".
With Cambodian Independence and the French withdrawal in 1953, the Thai military occupied Preah Vihear in 1954 in keeping with the border line of the natural watershed. The temple had been built facing north to serve the plains above it, not those of the Cambodian plain far below. However, based on the 1907 French map, Cambodia protested, insisting that it was inside their territory. Both countries finally agreed to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice and abide by its decision.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded ownership of Preah Vihear to Cambodia by a nine to three vote, stating the 1907 map clearly showed Preah Vihear as being in Cambodia. Nevertheless, the court had only ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia, and did not comment on the adjacent land to the north. Thailand reluctantly handed over the temple but continues to claim the surrounding area, insisting the border has never officially been demarcated here.
The ownership dispute revived in recent years when Cambodia submitted an application to UNESCO requesting that Preah Vihear be designated as a World Heritage Site. Thailand contended the application requested the designation include the land surrounding the temple, which Thailand still considers its territory. In the interest of cross-border relations Cambodia withdrew the application, and after winning support from Thailand, submitted a modified map requesting the designation only for the temple itself.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a right wing Thai protest group, turned the temple into a cause célèbrewedge issue in its battles against the People Power Party government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej in their attempts to unseat the former and current Cabinet of Thailand. In 2006 PAD-led street protests led first to the Thai general election of April 2006, largely boycotted by the opposition and won by then-incumbent Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai Party. This was followed by the military coup of September 2006, which ousted Thaksin, the caretaker prime minister. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was viewed as a proxy for the self-exiled Thaksin Shinawatra, who was living abroad to avoid conviction for corruption.
The old Khmer legend of Preah Ko Preak Keo has been referred to in this context by Cambodian politicians to illustrate the difficult ties that the country has with neighbouring Thailand.