AKP Siem Reap, September 30, 2026 --

The Chinese and Indian co-chairs of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Preah Vihear Temple (ICC-Preah Vihear) have reaffirmed their continued support and close cooperation with the Royal Government of Cambodia to conserve and restore Preah Vihear Temple after the World Heritage site sustained extensive damage.

The commitment was made during the 11th Technical Meeting of ICC-Preah Vihear, held in Siem Reap on Wednesday under the presidency of H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, with the participation of numerous national and international experts involved in cultural heritage conservation.

Ms. Li Qiaozhi, Chinese Co-Chair of ICC-Preah Vihear, said Preah Vihear Temple had suffered serious damage requiring urgent protection and conservation measures.

She reaffirmed China's readiness to work with India and Cambodia to ensure that the valuable ancient temple is preserved and conserved for future generations.

For his part, Mr. Vijay Shankar Prasad, Indian Co-Chair of ICC-Preah Vihear, said India had had the honour of participating in the restoration and conservation of several ancient Khmer monuments since 2013, including Gopura V of Preah Vihear Temple.

He stressed that restoring and enhancing the value of this important cultural heritage site was essential to preserving its identity and Outstanding Universal Value.

Preah Vihear Temple sustained extensive damage following heavy-weapons attacks in 2025. Following the incident, the ICC-Preah Vihear Ad-hoc expert team conducted an on-site assessment of the temple area, from Phnom Ta Di through Gopura I to Gopura V, which was identified as the most severely affected area.

According to an ICC-Preah Vihear press release, the assessment aimed to evaluate conservation progress and identify areas requiring additional protection measures.

The experts identified the establishment of a drainage system to remove water from the temple area as the most urgent priority, in order to reduce the risk of further damage caused by water infiltration and structural collapse. They also recommended strengthening support structures in high-risk and heavily affected areas to prevent further collapse and ensure the safety of the ancient structures.

The ICC-Preah Vihear assessment followed a joint UNESCO-ICOMOS mission conducted in March 2026, which documented 562 damaged locations within the Preah Vihear Temple complex from the military attacks in 2025.

UNESCO said the scale and severity of the damage to Preah Vihear Temple were unprecedented, warning that the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site was under threat.

The UN cultural agency further noted that “almost no area of the temple has been left undamaged.”

Article in Khmer by Khuth Sao
Article in English by C. Nika