UNESCO–ICOMOS Report Warns of Severe Damage to Preah Vihear Temple
UNESCO–ICOMOS Report Warns of Severe Damage to Preah Vihear Temple
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 9, 2026 — A joint UNESCO–ICOMOS mission has documented extensive damage to Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple following armed clashes in July and December 2025, warning that the World Heritage site faces a “serious and specific danger” requiring urgent conservation action.
According to Information Minister of Cambodia, Neth Pheaktra, UNESCO on Tuesday released the official report of the joint UNESCO–ICOMOS mission, which inspected the Preah Vihear Temple from March 1 to 6, 2026.
The report recorded 142 damaged areas resulting from the July 2025 attacks and a further 420 damaged areas linked to the December 2025 fighting.
The mission described the scale of destruction from the latest conflict as “unprecedented” compared with damage documented from previous conflicts.
It also found that “no area was spared” from the impact of the fighting. Damage was not limited to the temple structures themselves, but also affected infrastructure and facilities supporting visitors to the World Heritage site.
More significantly, the assessment found that the damage has affected the temple’s integrity, authenticity and Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) — the core characteristics underpinning its status as a UNESCO World Heritage property.
The mission’s assessment that Preah Vihear is facing a “serious and specific danger” highlights the urgency of conservation and safeguarding measures to prevent further deterioration of the site.
Preah Vihear was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008 for its exceptional Khmer architecture and its outstanding relationship with its dramatic natural setting. UNESCO’s World Heritage documentation describes the temple as an exceptional architectural ensemble and an outstanding example of Khmer architecture.
The latest findings add to longstanding international concerns over protecting the temple from the effects of conflict. UNESCO has previously called on parties involved in tensions around Preah Vihear to respect international law and their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
The findings underscore the wider international responsibility to safeguard Preah Vihear as a cultural heritage site of global significance.
For Cambodia, the report reinforces calls for the protection of the temple and for disputes to be addressed through peaceful means, while ensuring that armed conflict does not cause further irreversible damage to cultural heritage that cannot be replaced.
