The statue of Lord Vishnu was allegedly destroyed by Thailand military (PHOTO: X)
On Wednesday, December 24, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spoke out after a statue of Lord Vishnu was demolished near the Thailand-Cambodia border. They called the act “disrespectful” and said it hurts the feelings of people all over the world who follow these traditions.
The statue, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, was reportedly destroyed by the Thai military on Monday. This happened after more than two weeks of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia along the border.
“We’ve seen reports about the demolition of a Hindu deity’s statue, built recently in an area now caught up in the Thai-Cambodia border conflict,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the MEA. “Across this region, people deeply respect both Hindu and Buddhist deities as part of our shared cultural heritage.”
He didn’t mince words: “Regardless of who claims the territory, these kinds of acts are disrespectful. They hurt religious communities everywhere. This shouldn’t happen. We urge both sides to get back to the negotiating table, talk things through, and focus on peace. It’s time to prevent more loss of life, and stop any further damage to property or history.”
As the standoff between Thailand and Cambodia drags on, Cambodian officials are openly blaming Bangkok for destroying the Vishnu statue in a disputed border zone. According to AFP, Lim Chanpanha, spokesperson for the Preah Vihear province, said the statue stood inside Cambodian territory in the An Ses area. He said Thai forces demolished the statue—built in 2014—on Monday, just 100 meters from the border.
“We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues worshipped by Buddhists and Hindus,” Chanpanha said. Thai officials haven’t commented yet.
Footage of the demolition showing a backhoe taking down the statue has been circulating widely online. AFP checked and reported there was no evidence the video had been faked or altered using AI.
Meanwhile, a media representative at the Indian embassy in Bangkok told reporters that New Delhi hasn’t officially responded to the incident yet.
Cambodia insists the statue was a site of religious worship for both Buddhists and Hindus.
On the diplomatic front, Thai and Cambodian military officials have started talks aimed at restoring a ceasefire. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for Thailand’s Defence Ministry, said the General Border Committee began meeting on Wednesday. Their talks will last three days and could open the door to a formal agreement.
This effort comes after 16 days of intense border clashes left at least 86 people dead.
Just two days ago, Southeast Asian foreign ministers met for an emergency summit in Kuala Lumpur, hoping to revive a truce that Malaysia and former US President Donald Trump helped broker after earlier fighting in July.
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