Prasat Ta Muean Thom, an ancient Khmer temple near the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin, has reopened to the public but visitors have been cautioned not to engage in any provocative activities there.
Visitors must refrain from holding symbolic activities so as to maintain peace and order, said Thanathip Sawangsaeng, a spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Defence.
The Thailand-Cambodia Border Committee decided to reopen the temple after reviewing both countries’ response to a recent incident in the sensitive area.
A group of Cambodian women was spotted on Feb 13 singing a nationalist song at the temple, and they were briefly confronted by Thai soldiers.
News of the incident touched off a heated online debate featuring inflammatory nationalistic language. For some, it called to mind the decades-long dispute between the two countries over Preah Vihear, which had to be settled by the International Court of Justice.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra shrugged off the incident and cooler heads eventually prevailed.
Mr Thanathip said on Saturday that the incident showed that such issues must be handled carefully to avoid national security incidents.
“We request that citizens of both nations avoid arranging symbolic actions that could have an impact on border areas, particularly Prasat Ta Muean Thom in Surin,” he said, adding that people from both countries can still visit the temple.
Prasat Ta Muean Thom was built in the 13th century by King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire that was dominant in the region from the 11th to 13th centuries.
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