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| The current ceasefire makes it easier for tourists to visit Preah Vihear, but be aware that military action could restart at any moment. |
The recent ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand allows a former UN official to recount his two trips, 17 years apart, to the hotly contested Preah Vihear temple
8 March, 2011
By Brooks Entwistle
CNN GO
In 1993, I was part of the first group of foreigners to climb up to the Preah Vihear temple from the Cambodian side since the French in the 1960s.
Cambodia and Thailand have been in conflict over the beautiful, and strategically located temple for centuries.
A 1962 World Court ruling gave the 11th-century Hindu temple, perched on the edge of the Don Krek Mountain cliffs, to the Cambodians, whose country occupies the flat rice-bowl landscape some 1,500 feet below.
In 2008, UNESCO named the temple a World Heritage site, further cementing its status on Cambodian soil and eventually leading the two sides to begin fighting over the prized real estate.
The current round of armed conflict, which began February 4, has left several people dead and the temple damaged.
Even though a ceasefire has been announced, the chance of violence flaring up again is high. That’s a shame, because I have fond memories of the place and returned recently with my family.
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