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| The location of a statue of Vishnu which was destroyed by the Thai military. Supplied |
As the destruction of a Hindu statue hit the headlines, officials and monks alike have condemned indiscriminate attacks by the Thai military, no matter whether Buddhist or Hindu worship sites are struck.
Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra said Thai military aggression against Cambodia has included the use of heavy artillery that damaged Buddhist temples, the bombing of Ta Krabei Temple and Preah Vihear Temple, and, most recently, the destruction of a statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu.
He said these sites are sacred places of worship and spiritual significance for Buddhists, Hindus and followers of other faiths.
“For the true custodians of this heritage, witnessing such devastation brings profound sorrow and anguish beyond comparison,” he said.
The Thai military’s aggression against Cambodia has included the use of heavy artillery that damaged Buddhist temples, the bombing of Ta Krabei Temple and Preah Vihear Temple, and, most recently, the destruction of a statue of the god Vishnu. These sites are sacred places of… pic.twitter.com/PKccz9D4oa
— Neth Pheaktra (@pheaktraneth) December 25, 2025
The destruction of the figure of Lord Visnu angered Hindu followers around the world, especially in Hindu majority India, from ordinary Indians to former MPs as well as senior Indian government officials. The act grabbed global headlines.
The statue was constructed in 2014 in Preah Vihear province’s An Ses area. Google maps show the location to be around 400 metres inside Cambodia.
“Those who are not the rightful owners, however, have shown no compassion for these religious structures or for the cultural and spiritual heritage they embody. They cheered and applauded while deliberately destroying and desecrating these sacred places of worship and religious faith,” Pheaktra said.
Prominent Buddhist monk Kou Sopheap also took to social media today, December 26, to describe the Thai actions as “evil”.
“The Thai army has destroyed Buddhist temples, a statue of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva temples, and other civilian infrastructure in Cambodia, and they are applauding these evil actions. Thailand, stop the war; stop the invasion,” he said.
In a December 25 post, he said: “Thailand, waging war against Lord Vishnu (God in Hinduism) is not good. Noted: the statue was built by Cambodia in Cambodia territory over a decade ago.”
