Mind the Mines

VISIBILITY WAS AT A MINIMUM, as the early morning fog hung low, just above the grass line which flaunted its verdant clarity. Monks, pilgrims and soldiers were heard well before they were seen, at an arms length, busting through the smoky  shroud.

Humidity was at a maximum. The worn stone walkways, the ancient temple walls, and our exposed skin beaded with moisture.

Fog-covered gopura.

Feet in Cambodia, facing the nearby Thai border, we climbed the monumental stairway of Prasat Preah Vihear, a Hindu-turned-Buddhist temple that predates Angkor Wat by more than 100 years, but built by the same civilization. Seven Khmer monarchs ordered the construction of this site, dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, over the 11th and 12th centuries.

Less popular than its infamous cousin, and more difficult to visit logistically, intrepid travelers are treated to what seems like a monument to themselves. While several thousand tourists visit Angkor Wat on any given day, we did not run into one foreigner during our time at Prasat Preah Vihear. Our only company had shaved heads and were draped in turmeric-colored robes. Their penchant for silence at temple and focus on their prayer beads meant the only voices heard were our own.

Heading up Prasat Preah Vihear.

Chugging up a staggered hillside we paused at each steppe crowned by a stone gopura (think Cambodian gazebo), some crumbling, some standing strong, each a fine reward for a sweaty climb. There were lichen-spotted walls, ancient ornate lintels, and leaning stupas sprouting tenacious trees. Each level felt like a new discovery.

The hillside and the temple complex run up the Dangrek Mountain range, a natural border between Cambodia and Thailand. A 1,700 ft. cliff over what is usually a panorama view of Thailand greets climbers where the final, grandest temple presides over the site, but on our visit the fog was so thick that absolutely nothing was visible.

—|||—

A 1,700 ft. drop-off into Thailand (not pictured due to fog).

That invisible neighbor has been in a tug-of-war battle with Cambodia over the land surrounding this temple complex (along with many other border areas) since the early 20th century. Despite winning a sovereignty claim from the International Court of Justice in the 1960’s, Cambodia had to defend its stake again after its civil war in the 1970’s, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2008 amplified Thailand’s interest yet again.

Since then, disputes have turned violent on several occasions, killing soldiers and civilians on both sides. It was almost hard to believe this peaceful, ethereal site saw violence as recently as February of 2011, when eight people were killed over several days of fighting, and widespread clashes caused thousands to flee for their safety.

—|||—

Checking tensions in unstable areas is always wise move for travelers, so we didn’t dare embark on this four-hour journey north until we read the area was cooled off - for the time being.

Disputed boundaries are immediately evident upon entering the site. A fortified wall of razor wire with heavily armed military personnel blocks the Thai border. AK-47s are accentuated by unnerving red signs bearing a skull and crossbones, with warnings of land mines left over from the Khmer Rouge’s occupation of the hilltop.

At Prasat Preah Vihear you must watch when you visit and where you step.

With the afternoon sun growing stronger as we descended, it was like waking from a dream. We could finally see objects in front of us and beyond, as the veil slowly lifted. Tinny clicks atop a nearby flagpole broke the serenity. Looking up I saw the Cambodian banner waving proudly, boasting a white silhouette of Angkor Wat. Far off across the border, a Thai flag, which at one time could have been on top of this very hill, danced in the breeze. 

———-

VERDICT: Mostly Harmless - but mind the mines, and the barbed-wire, and the cliff-edge, and the potential of conflict at any given time for the foreseeable future.

Regulars at Prasat Preah Vihear.

LINKS:

Prasat Preah Vihear: Temple complex dedicated to Shiva, built by a succession of Khmer monarchs.

Angkor Wat: Hindu turned Buddhist temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia. One of the largest religious monuments in the world.

Dangrek Mountain Range: Mountain range between Thailand and Cambodia.

Khmer Rouge: Radical Communists who ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Responsible for the extermination of millions of their fellow countrymen, women and children.

Leaving Prasat Preah Vihear.