'Disrespectful Act': India Reacts After Lord Vishnu Statue Destroyed Near Thai-Cambodia Border

India has raised concern over the demolition of a Lord Vishnu statue near the Thailand-Cambodia border amid ongoing clashes. Cambodia blamed Thai forces for destroying the statue, while videos of the incident went viral online. 

India has expressed deep concern after reports emerged of the demolition of a Lord Vishnu statue near the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia. The incident comes at a time of renewed military clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. New Delhi said such acts hurt religious sentiments and urged both sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy to avoid further damage to lives, property, and heritage.

On December 24, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it had seen reports about the demolition of a statue of Lord Vishnu. The statement was issued by MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

He said the statue had been built in recent times and was located in an area affected by the ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

“Hindu and Buddhist deities are deeply revered and worshipped by people across the region, as part of our shared civilisational heritage,” Jaiswal said.

He added that regardless of territorial claims, such disrespectful acts hurt the sentiments of followers around the world and should not take place.

India urged both Thailand and Cambodia to return to dialogue and diplomacy, resume peace, and avoid further loss of lives and damage to property and heritage.

Cambodia accuses Thai forces of destroying statue

Earlier, Cambodia strongly criticised Thailand over the incident. A Cambodian official accused Thai forces of destroying the Vishnu statue during ongoing clashes along the border.

Kim Chanpanha, a government spokesman in Cambodia’s border province of Preah Vihear, said the statue was located inside Cambodian territory in the An Ses area.

He said the statue, which was built in 2014, was demolished on Monday and stood about 100 metres from the Thai border.

However, a check on Google Maps showed the statue’s location to be around 400 metres from the border line, highlighting differing claims over the exact boundary.

“We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues that are worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers,” Chanpanha said.

Videos of demolition go viral online

Videos showing the demolition of the Vishnu statue using a back-hoe loader began circulating widely on Thai social media and local media platforms on Monday.

The footage showed heavy machinery being used to knock down the statue. AFP analysed the videos using AI-detection tools and found no signs of manipulation.

AFP also independently verified the location of the statue shown in the footage.

One video clip, shared by a pro-India account on X, crossed two million views by Wednesday, drawing strong reactions from users across countries.

A spokesperson for the Thai army did not respond to requests for comment on the incident.

Border conflict intensifies between Thailand and Cambodia

The statue demolition comes amid a serious escalation in the long-running border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.

The dispute, which dates back to colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre shared border, involves claims over land and ancient temple ruins located along the frontier.

Fighting between the two countries reignited earlier this month. According to official figures, the clashes have killed more than 40 people and forced around one million people to flee their homes.

Both sides have blamed each other for starting the fresh violence. Each has also accused the other of attacking civilians.

Cambodia has repeatedly alleged that Thai forces damaged temple ruins during the clashes. Thailand, in turn, has accused Cambodian forces of positioning soldiers near centuries-old stone temples.

Diplomatic efforts face hurdles

Cambodia had requested bilateral talks in a neutral country to negotiate an end to the fighting. However, Thailand rejected the proposal.

Thai officials said a four-day meeting would begin on Wednesday in Chanthaburi province, near the border. Cambodia has not yet confirmed whether it will attend the talks.

A media representative at the Indian Embassy in Bangkok told AFP that New Delhi had not issued an official response at the time, though the MEA statement later clarified India’s position.

Shared heritage under threat

India’s statement highlighted that Hindu and Buddhist traditions are deeply connected across South and Southeast Asia. Statues, temples, and religious sites are seen as part of a shared cultural and spiritual history.

Observers say the destruction of religious symbols during military tensions risks inflaming public sentiment and deepening mistrust between communities and nations.

India’s call for restraint and dialogue reflects concerns that continued conflict could lead to irreversible damage to heritage sites that have survived for centuries.

As tensions remain high along the Thai-Cambodia border, the demolition of the Lord Vishnu statue has added a sensitive religious dimension to an already complex dispute. India’s appeal for diplomacy underlines the need to protect lives, heritage, and shared cultural values, even amid territorial disagreements. Whether dialogue can prevail over confrontation now remains to be seen.

(With AFP inputs)