Statue rivalry sows conflictListen to this articleThe destruction of a Hindu god statue on contested land between Thailand and Cambodia by the Thai military last month was appalling. Yet just as the issue began to subside, the authorities created fresh controversy by replacing the ruined statue with a Buddha image -- a move that is unforgivably thoughtless by any measure. The new image, Buddha under Naga's Protection, was erected at Ban Chom Kasan in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani, directly opposite Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, supposedly to boost morale. Near the Chong An Ma crossing, the Thai military bulldozed the towering Vishnu statue on Dec 22, shortly before both sides declared a truce. Placing a Buddha image atop the ruins of a Vishnu statue crosses a line.

Source: Bangkok Post January 24, 2026 22:32 UTC