The Thai-Cambodian Border Conflict In A Nutshell
Thailand vs. Cambodia: The World’s Pettiest Border War Ah yes, the famous Thailand–Cambodia border “conflict.” You’d think it’s about something serious like oil fields, gold, maybe even national security. Nope. It’s about a temple and some wasteland . Not a new temple, not one under construction, but an ancient ruin that’s been sitting there for nearly a thousand years , collecting moss and tourists with selfie sticks. Welcome to Preah Vihear Temple and its immediate surroundings , or as it’s known in diplomatic circles: “That Thing We’re Still Arguing About.” The Temple with a Thousand Years of Drama So here’s the story: the Khmer Empire built this majestic temple long before Thailand was even Thailand. Fast forward to modern times and suddenly both sides want to claim it. The International Court of Justice even said decades ago, “Guys, it’s Cambodia’s.” But Thailand replied with the diplomatic equivalent of, “Yeah, but the stairs are ours.” Because yes, what we have here is es...