Preah Vihear: From Conflict Zone to Must-See Heritage Site

via Khmer Times, 19 September 2023: After decades of territorial disputes with Thailand, the Preah Vihear temple in Cambodia has emerged as a top heritage attraction, drawing thousands of tourists monthly thanks to international legal rulings, dedicated local guardians, and improved infrastructure.

“After constructing new infrastructure around 2017 and 2018, Preah Vihear began attracting a lot more tourists. Then, we were receiving over 10,000 local and international tourists each month at Preah Vihear,” Eang Hourt says.

“Back around 2008, we received very few tourists and that was largely due to the nonexistent infrastructure, and especially the ongoing conflict with Thailand,” he adds.

Eang Hourt says that the situation changed temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic when tourists stopped visiting completely.

“Nowadays Preah Vihear temple is becoming more and more popular as a tourist destination. Preah Vihear attracts 5,000 to 6,000 tourist each month,” he said.

Source: Preah Vihear puts conflict behind to emerge as top heritage attraction – Khmer Times