The Cartographic Trap and Nationalistic Hysteria: The Roots of the Thai-Cambodian Conflict.

This article analyzes the longstanding Thai-Cambodian conflict over the Preah Vihear Temple, emphasizing how colonial-era cartography and nationalistic narratives have transformed a territorial dispute into a recurring source of militarized tension and political legitimacy struggles. The 1904 Franco-Siamese Boundary Commission’s map and the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling, which awarded the temple to Cambodia, remain central to competing Thai and Cambodian claims, each shaped by historical grievances and differing interpretations of sovereignty. The conflict has been repeatedly instrumentalized by political and military elites in both countries to consolidate power, marginalize democratic forces, and mobilize nationalist sentiment, with recent escalations in 2025–26 reflecting ongoing internal legitimacy crises and the use of the dispute as a tool for regime maintenance. The article highlights that without democratic accountability and regional cooperation, the Preah Vihear dispute is likely to persist as a site of nationalist performance and militarized confrontation rather than peaceful resolution. [Extracted from the article]