Source: “Thailand and Cambodia: The Battle for Preah Vihear” by John D. Ciorciari Assistant Professor, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

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2025: Thailand bombed and destroyed parts of Preah Vihear Temple despite claiming it’s theirs and caring about it.

2025: Conflict began around temples at the border in Cambodia that left a Cambodian soldier dead. Cambodia filed a lawsuit with the ICJ. Thailand rejects the ICJ or other third party involvement. Both sides fight each other again. Thailand oust its prime minister again!

2008: Cambodia registered Preah Vihear as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Thai military and conservative faction of their government saw an opportunity to gain control by accusing Cambodia of invading their territory. Fighting on both sides began.

1963: Prince Sihanouk held a ceremony at Pheah Vihear and said Thais can visit the temple without a visa and Thailand can keep the relics the took from it even though the ICJ said to return them.

1962: Thailand claimed that the 1907 French survey of the land was not legally binding but they lost the case with a 9-3 in favor of Cambodia.

1953: Cambodia became independent and the Preah Vihear temple became under Cambodia’s control.
1954: Thai troops once again occupied the temple grounds to replace the French troops that were there.
1960: Cambodia filed a a lawsuit with the ICJ.

1907: Thailand did not approve but neither did they object to the French survey and nor provided a competing survey.
1941+: Thailand allied with the Axis power in hopes of taking back parts of Cambodia and Laos which the French took. They later returned the temple to France.

1904: Thailand and France made a land deal
1907: French officials did surveys putting Preah Vihear in Cambodia