Angkor Wat in Thailand? Cambodia resurrects cultural theft claims amid border clashes

Cambodia’s culture minister has called Wat Phu Man Fa’s Sihanakhon temple complex a ‘blatant infringement’ on its iconic Angkor Wat

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A photo taken in November last year shows the Sihanakhon temple complex in Wat Phu Man Fa under construction. Photo: Facebook/Amazing World Culture Club

Published: 5:23pm, 25 Jun 2025

As Thailand and Cambodia remain locked in a border dispute, another conflict has erupted – this time on the cultural stage, with Cambodia condemning a Thai temple for copying the design of its world-renowned Angkor Wat.

Accusations against Wat Phu Man Fa in Buri Ram province, a region that borders Cambodia in northeast Thailand, have been levelled since the construction of the 100-million-baht (US$3 million) temple began in 2020.

But now, they have escalated to the national level.

Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona voiced objections to the grand Sihanakhon temple complex within the 32-hectare (79-acre) Wat Phu Man Fa on Thursday, saying it “undermines the outstanding universal value and authenticity of Angkor Wat”.

Angkor Wat, a Unesco World Heritage site, is renowned for its intricately carved ancient stone temples dating back to the 12th century.

Tourists visit the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province. Photo: AFP

“The replication of Angkor Wat’s architectural blueprint in the construction of Sihanakhon is a blatant infringement upon Cambodia’s national identity and cultural soul,” she said during a national meeting on historical sites preservation, according to Thai Public Boardcasting Service.

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