Siem Reap:H.E. Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), has characterized the bombing and shelling of Preah Vihear Temple as deliberate and strategically commanded actions.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Heng Ratana made these comments during the 11th Technical Session of the International Coordinating Committee for Preah Vihear (ICC-Preah Vihear) at Sokha Siem Reap Hotel, chaired by H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia.

Heng Ratana accused Thailand of employing bombs, artillery shells, and drones in an aggressive campaign that targeted the historic temple. He asserted that these attacks were not accidental but a deliberate strategy aimed at demolishing the temple, emphasizing that Thailand could not deny the intentional nature of the actions.

He highlighted that Preah Vihear Temple, a masterpiece of Khmer heritage inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, suffered significant damage, requiring substantial resources and time for restoration.

During the session, Chinese and Indian co-chairs of the ICC-Preah Vihear expressed their commitment to support Cambodia in conserving and restoring the temple, which sustained extensive damage from heavy-weapons attacks in 2025.

An ICC-Preah Vihear Ad-hoc expert team performed an on-site assessment from Phnom Ta Di through Gopura I to Gopura V, identifying it as the most severely affected area. This assessment followed a joint UNESCO-ICOMOS mission in March 2026, which recorded damage at 562 locations within the temple complex due to the 2025 strikes.

UNESCO warned that the scale of damage was unprecedented, threatening the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site, noting that nearly every area of the temple was affected.