Sihasak clarifies Preah Vihear Damage to UNESCO, urges Cambodia to cease fabrications and focus on restoring ties

On February 23, 2026 (local time), Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave a remote interview to the press during his visit to Paris, France. The visit aimed to have discussions with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director-General of UNESCO, as well as a subsequent visit to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend meetings with United Nations (UN) member states.

Regarding the discussion with the Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Sihasak stated that the talks covered cooperation between Thailand and UNESCO, the registration of the Thai Dress as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the issue of damage to the Preah Vihear Temple resulting from Thai-Cambodian Thai conflicts.

On the Preah Vihear Temple issue, Mr. Sihasak stated that he clarified Thailand's regret over the situation, noting that Thailand had no desire for such events to occur. However, he emphasized that these incidents would not happen if Cambodia did not use a World Heritage cultural site like Preah Vihear as a military base and weapons cache. From the discussion, UNESCO expressed understanding of the situation and encouraged Thailand and Cambodia to speak directly to find a solution, which has been Thailand’s stance from the beginning.

Furthermore, Mr. Sihasak noted that during the talks, UNESCO focused solely on how the temple was damaged and how restoration could be facilitated. Regarding the combat details, UNESCO preferred not to get involved. They are currently considering sending a committee to inspect the area, following fact-finding procedures to determine assistance measures.

Regarding the registration of the Thai Dress as Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mr. Sihasak stated that this is an issue to which Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya attaches great importance. There is a high probability of successful registration because it can be proven as an authentic Thai identity. As for Thailand-UNESCO cooperation, Mr. Sihasak believes there should be greater collaboration in education and providing assistance to neighboring countries, as Thailand serves as the location for the UNESCO Regional Office.

Mr. Sihasak continued that on the night of Feb 23 (local time), he would travel to meet with the French Foreign Minister to discuss several topics, such as inviting investment in areas of French expertise and clarifying the facts regarding the Thailand-Cambodia situation. Following this, on Feb 24, he will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend meetings with the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Mr. Sihasak stated that Thailand has played a significant role in pushing human rights agendas. In this UN meeting, Thailand intends to push the human rights agenda regarding scammers, recognizing it as an issue that all parties must realize is increasing in severity, particularly concerning human rights. People from many countries have been lured, coerced, and trafficked in this global transnational crime.

He added that Thailand has previously pushed this as an ASEAN agenda. However, solving this problem requires a "Global Partnership." Thailand needs to speak about its role and the importance of utilizing international cooperation mechanisms for this cause.

Another key point Mr. Sihasak addressed with the press was the "fabrication of stories" that do not align with the facts by high-ranking Cambodian political officials, such as claims that Thailand has seized Cambodian territory. He viewed such fabrications as unhelpful to the relationship between the two countries, emphasizing that while he does not wish to engage in a blow-for-blow exchange, it is necessary for Thailand to clarify the facts.

Mr. Sihasak added that while building mutual trust, Cambodia should not tell Thailand it wants to restore relations while maintaining the same old behavior on the international stage. Such actions make the restoration of relations difficult to move forward.

Finally, Mr. Sihasak responded to a reporter's question regarding cases where Cambodia set fires along the border but claimed Thailand did so to clear land. He stated that creating such disinformation is something Cambodia frequently does to damage Thailand’s image and pressure Thailand into negotiating on Cambodia’s terms. However, he confirmed that such pressure is ineffective as both countries already have negotiation channels. He warned Cambodia that the international community is now aware of Cambodia’s information operations, therefore, Cambodia must be careful, as such actions may result in a negative impact on Cambodia itself.