Thailand and Cambodia are firing artillery over a disputed temple.
11 civilians dead. 40,000 evacuated. Thai PM suspended.
This is no longer a border skirmish — it's a crisis.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ryanjhite/p/thailand-and-cambodia-at-war-the?r=apuu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true https://www.patreon.com/posts/thailand-and-at-135645014?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
#Thailand #Cambodia #Geopolitics #ASEAN #PreahVihear

Old, steep steps at Preah Vihear

After the long stone layered access road from the mountain temple gate in the north, there is a steep step to enter the first temple building/Gopura.

As interesting as the building itself, is the construction and the decoration on the stairs.

The main steps are large and old stone fitted together like they were during building a thousand years ago. For every 3rd step, there is a sidestep suitable for a person or some decorative item.

This steep entrance step is only for the first temple building. After that, the rest of the 6 main buildings and support libraries are spread out on a relatively level ground. Stretching south to the steep cliff, were you find a fantastic view to the north of Cambodia.

Cambodian World Cultural Heritage
The name "Preah Vihear" comes from the Khmer words "Preah" (sacred) and "Vihear" (abode or shrine). The temple is also sometimes referred to as "Phnom Preah Vihear" (mountain of Preah Vihear).

The large temple complex was built during 250 years, starting over one thousand years ago. Several god kings of the Khmer Empire added to the buildings and site details.
It has been a Cambodian World Cultural Heritage site for nearly twenty years.

https://drzinasia.wordpress.com/2021/04/20/a-drop-of-colour-and-a-drop-of-water-a-good/

#ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #Preah #Vihear #Temple #preahvihear #Cambodia #Kampuchea #templevisit #buddhism #hinduism #angkor #art #architecture #bluesky #isaan #sisaket #water #well #worldculturalheritage #roadtrip #2019CE #colorful #colourful #culturalheritage #cambodia #ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #PreahVihearTemple

An intricate entrance gate at Preah Vihear

In the north of Cambodia, on the mountain range bordering the Kingdom in the north, lays the levelled temple complex of Preah Vihear.

The details in the ornamentation on this temple is stunning. This gate to one of the four gopuras at this temple is an example.

The temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to the god Shiva. The top lintel is often dedicated to showing symbols and rites connected to Shiva, but in almost equal amount to Vishnu.
It tells about the details in the religious practice over the 250 years the Angkor Empire built this temple complex.

The doors “enfilade”/side areas are rich with scenes from Khmer, Veda and Hindu mythology – like churning of the sea of milk, Khrishna Govardhan.

There are several compositions that is repeating in different variations at Preah Vihear. One example is built around a central motif, almost always a head of kala or lion, which develops into a symmetrical decoration.

Cambodian World Cultural Heritage
The name "Preah Vihear" comes from the Khmer words "Preah" (sacred) and "Vihear" (abode or shrine). The temple is also sometimes referred to as "Phnom Preah Vihear" (mountain of Preah Vihear).

The large temple complex was built over a period of 250 year, starting over one thousand years ago. Several god kings of the Khmer Empire added to the buildings and site details.

Preah Vihear has been a Cambodian World Cultural Heritage site for nearly twenty years.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1224/

#ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #Preah #Vihear #Temple #preahvihear #Cambodia #Kampuchea #templevisit #buddhism #hinduism #angkor #art #architecture #bluesky #isaan #sisaket #water #well #worldculturalheritage #roadtrip #2019CE #colorful #colourful #culturalheritage #cambodia #ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #PreahVihearTemple

A drop of colour and a drop of water

Dimensions, on a Khmer-girl scale.

A good thing with an assistant is to have someone to show the relative size of things.
Like my friend here, showing the size of one of the water basins before entering the first of the main temple constructions of Preah Vihear.
This fantastic mountain top temple complex is just another important part of Khmer cultural heritage to the world, forever for Cambodia to care and protect. It was added to the World Cultural Heritage list in 2008.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1224/

#preahvihear #water #well #Cambodia #seventemples #worldculturalheritage #roadtrip #2019CE #khmergirl #colorful #culturalheritageday #preahviheartemple #photoassistant #localgirl #khmer #Kampuchea #templevisit #buddhism #art #architecture #bluesky #isaan #sisaket #water #ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #Preah #Vihear #Temple

The sunset warmly lit temple by the icy blue pond

In the north of Cambodia, on the border mountain range to the large northeast Isaan-region of Thailand, lays the levelled temple complex of Preah Vihear.

The name "Preah Vihear" comes from the Khmer words "Preah" (sacred) and "Vihear" (abode or shrine). The temple is also sometimes referred to as "Phnom Preah Vihear" (mountain of Preah Vihear).

The large temple complex was built during a century one thousand years ago. Several god kings of the Khmer Empire added to the buildings and site details. It has been a Cambodian World Cultural Heritage site for nearly twenty years.

As a tourist attraction, the temple is a popular target for travellers with all the usual and some unique reasons. The location of the site, and the outlook of the surrounding area and landscape are truly special. The combination of several Angkor art and architectural styles into one complex is very interesting. It is localised on the top of a mountain range, with a view to both the core Cambodian lands to the south and the extended former Khmer empire now belonging to Thailand in the north.

It is a mountain temple, and the access is easy enough after you have paid someone with 4x4 to drive you up. Not wheelchair accessible, but seniors and other who are able to walk normally can visit easily.

#ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #Preah #Vihear #Temple #preahvihear #Cambodia #Kampuchea #templevisit #buddhism #hinduism #angkor #art #architecture #bluesky #isaan #sisaket #water #well #worldculturalheritage #roadtrip #2019CE #colorful #colourful #culturalheritage #cambodia #ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ #PreahVihearTemple