Explained: How A 900-Year-Old Shrine Triggered a War between Thailand and Cambodia

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Temple Tension

An ancient Shiva shrine has turned into a war zone—where centuries-old stone meets 21st-century drone. Why does this sacred ground keep spilling blood in the name of borders?

Cliff Claim

Perched 525 meters above sea level, Preah Vihear is more than a breathtaking view—it's the crux of a century-old territorial standoff that has ignited yet another deadly chapter.

Sovereignty Standoff

A 1907 French-drawn map sparked decades of debate—but now, Cambodia and Thailand are arguing with rockets, not rhetoric. Is colonial cartography to blame for modern bloodshed?

Drone Provocation

One drone, one flight, and suddenly 40,000 civilians are fleeing their homes. What really happened in the jungle at dawn, and why did it spiral into Level 4 warfare?

Sacred Flashpoint

Ta Muen Thom, a lesser-known Khmer temple with a south-facing sanctum, is now the eye of a geopolitical storm. What makes this forest shrine so strategically—and spiritually—loaded?

Map Mistake

Thailand once accepted the colonial border line. Now it says that was a "mistake." Can a century-old nod be taken back, or is international law written in stone?

Heritage War

UNESCO recognition was supposed to protect Preah Vihear. Instead, it lit a fire under nationalist rage. How can a World Heritage listing become a call to arms?

Anthem Agitation

When Cambodian troops sang their national anthem at the temple, Thai forces flared up. A viral video followed. Is this ancient conflict now being waged on TikTok?

Border Mirage

To Western eyes, borders are fixed lines. In Southeast Asia, they're a colonial mirage. Why the fight over ancient temples reveals a deeper rejection of imposed geography.