Thai troops demolish Cambodian stairs, cable car on Phu Makua

Thai troops dismantled stairs and a makeshift cable car set up by Cambodian forces atop Phu Makua, regaining control of the strategic hilltop.

Thai soldiers stationed atop Phu Makua in Si Sa Ket’s Kantharalak district have demolished a makeshift cable car system and stairways installed by Cambodian troops.

On Monday, Thai troops released photos showing that they had cut the cable of the makeshift cable car and dismantled its base, as well as tearing down all stairways leading to the summit that had been installed by Cambodian forces.

The demolition has prevented Cambodian soldiers, stationed on a cliff below Phu Makua, from climbing up to the hilltop.

Following the outbreak of border clashes on July 24, Thai forces secured control of Phu Makua on Saturday after repelling repeated Cambodian assaults, including a renewed offensive at 3:30am. This came after a Thai operation to retake the hilltop at around 6:50pm on Friday, July 25, 2025.

Cambodian troops had occupied the top of Phu Makua since the fighting in February 2011. The hill is regarded as a key military strategic point, as it offers a commanding view over the surrounding area, including the Preah Vihear Temple.


 

Phu Makua is located within a 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area near the Preah Vihear Temple, in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province.

Both Thailand and Cambodia claim sovereignty over the hill. The dispute intensified after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia but did not definitively rule on the surrounding land.

(2025/07/28-00:00)