Overview
- Bangkok said the statue was an unregistered, decorative structure and that military engineers removed it to manage security and assert control in a contested area, expressing regret for any discomfort caused.
- Cambodian officials said the 2014 Vishnu statue stood inside their Preah Vihear province at An Ses, with local claims placing it about 100 metres from the border as mapping data suggested several hundred metres.
- AFP verified videos showing a backhoe tearing down the structure, confirming the location near the disputed An Ses zone where recent fighting has intensified.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the demolition a disrespectful act that hurts religious sentiments and urged Thailand and Cambodia to return to dialogue to safeguard lives and heritage.
- Thai and Cambodian military delegations have opened talks to revive a ceasefire as officials report dozens of deaths and large-scale displacement in the border conflict.