A video recording the demolition of a Lord Vishnu statue situated at the Thailand-Cambodia border has become widely shared and thus the cause of outrage on social media as well as the leading of the trending hashtag #BoycottThailand.

The statue, which was erected in 2014, was situated in An Ses region of Cambodia, only 100 meters from the Thai border. The video stirred up a lot of Indian users’ and world-wide religious communities’ reactions as the act was considered disrespectful to the Hindu faith. Hashtags #BoycottThailand and #BoycottPattaya were noticed on the social media platforms X and Instagram where users were revealing their intentions of rethinking trips to Thailand.

Many posts on social media pointed to issues of religious and cultural heritage. One user commented, “Please reconsider travelling to Thailand. Hindu heritage on Cambodian land has been destroyed. Why support a country that disrespects your faith?” Another urged followers to support campaigns against tourism in Thailand.

Thailand’s Response
The Thai authorities through the Thai-Cambodian border press center apologized stating that the demolition had nothing to do with any peaceful or sacred site. They explained that the removal was done in the context of the administration of the area and security measures, and further claimed that the statue was erected by the Cambodian troops in the contentious area as a claim of sovereignty. Thailand expressed “sincere regret for any discomfort caused by misunderstandings” arising from the footage.

Cambodia’s Statement
Nevertheless, Cambodian officials stuck to their argument that the statue was situated in their territory and that it was of cultural and religious value to both Hindus and Buddhists. Lim Chanpanha, who represents the Preah Vihear authorities, criticized the destruction and reiterated the commitment of Cambodia to the preservation of ancient temples and relics.

The affair brought to light the sensitive and intricate situation where religion, antiquities, and land disputes come together, and it has already become a more than a debate online as the netizens express their feelings on the matter of diplomatic tensions through social media.