PHNOM PENH (AFP): A Cambodian official accused Thailand of destroying a Hindu statue in a disputed border area, after more than two weeks of military clashes between the neighbours.
"The statue was inside our territory in the An Ses area," said Kim Chanpanha, a government spokesman in the border province of Preah Vihear.
He said the demolition of the Vishnu statue, built in 2014, occurred on Monday about 100 metres (328 feet) from the border with Thailand.
A Google Maps search showed the statue's location was around 400 metres from the border line.
"We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues that are worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers," Chanpanha said.
The nations' long-standing border conflict reignited this month, killing more than 40 people and displacing around a million, according to official counts.
Each side has blamed the other for instigating the fresh fighting and have traded accusations of attacks on civilians.
Cambodia has also repeatedly alleged that Thai forces have damaged temple ruins along the border during the clashes, with Bangkok saying that Phnom Penh was positioning soldiers at the centuries-old stone structures.
Videos showing the demolition of the Vishnu statue using a back-hoe loader circulated on Thai social media pages and in local media on Monday.
AFP analysed the footage using AI-detection tools, which found no signs of AI manipulation.
AFP also independently verified the location of the statue.
A spokesperson for the Thai army has not replied to a request for comment.
One post featuring the video clip, by a pro-Indian X account, racked up more than two million views by Wednesday.
A media representative at the Indian embassy in Bangkok told AFP that New Delhi had not yet issued a response regarding the incident.
Thailand on Tuesday rejected a request by Cambodia to hold bilateral talks in a neutral country to negotiate an end to the skirmish.
Thai officials said the four-day meeting would begin on Wednesday in Chanthaburi province, but Phnom Penh has yet to confirm attendance.
The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border and a smattering of ancient temple ruins situated on the frontier. -- AFP
