Thai army demolishes Hindu statue, says it was done to control disputed border area near Cambodia

Thailand claimed that the Thai army's contentious demolition of a Hindu statue along the Thailand-Cambodia border was done to assert control over a disputed border area, and not intended to offend any religion.

Two weeks into the resurgence of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict, clips of the demolition circulated online showed a Vishnu statue being pushed over by a backhoe allegedly operated by the Thai army.

The Thai military said the statue was allegedly constructed by Cambodian soldiers on Thai land and was viewed by Thai officials as a symbolic "landmark" intended to support an unlawful claim over the area, The Nation reported.

Thai forces claimed to have regained full control of the area with the removal of the statue, which they suggested could be used to bolster historical arguments in territorial disputes.

The removal was done as "area management", according to The Nation, with no intention to offend any beliefs.

Criticisms

The act has drawn widespread criticism, including by Cambodian officials and Hindu-majority India's foreign ministry.

Cambodia's ministry of culture and fine arts condemned the demolition as barbaric and a violation of human rights, international law, and international conventions protecting cultural heritage, reported the Khmer Times.

"The destruction of the Vishnu statue... is an immoral and irreligious act that clearly demonstrates a disregard for culture and religion," the ministry said.

India's ministry of external affairs similarly slammed the incident, calling it a "disrespectful act".

"Notwithstanding territorial claims, such disrespectful acts hurt the sentiments of followers around the world, and should not take place," the ministry said, according to the Times of India.

"Hindu and Buddhist deities are deeply revered and worshipped by people across the region, as part of our shared civilisational heritage," they added.

In response, Thailand defended their actions, describing the statue as merely a "decorative piece" that was "not connected to any religion".

While they expressed regret for discomfort that arose from the demolition, Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters on Dec. 25 that "a destroyed statue cannot compare to soldiers' lives or limbs".

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