Prasat Sdok Kok Thom temporarily closed to tourists due to border conflict risks

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has announced the temporary closure of Prasat Sdok Kok Thom in Sa Kaeo province due to safety risks arising from escalating border tensions.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the RTA said the ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand has begun to affect residents living along the frontier as well as historical sites in the area. Prasat Sdok Kok Thom was closed to protect tourists from potential danger.

The ancient temple is located in Tambon Kok Sung, Kok Sung district, about 35 kilometres northeast of Aranyaprathet district and 15 kilometres south of Ta Phraya district. The RTA said the site will reopen once the situation returns to normal.

Built during the reign of King Udayādityavarman II to honour the Hindu god Shiva, Prasat Sdok Kok Thom served as both a provincial religious and administrative centre overseen by a prominent Brahmin family.

One of its most significant finds is a 340-line stone inscription, carved in Sanskrit and Old Khmer. The text records the history of the temple’s founding family and their service as royal chaplains to the Khmer court for more than two centuries. It also provides rare insights into the devarāja cult, a central ritual of Khmer kingship.

The temple remained largely overgrown and in ruins until the 20th century, when the Thai Fine Arts Department began extensive restoration using original materials where possible. In 2017, the department designated it Thailand’s 11th historical park.

The complex is enclosed by double walls and moats believed to symbolise the cosmic ocean, with the main sanctuary representing Mount Meru, the centre of the universe in Hindu cosmology. Its intricate carvings depict Hindu stories and floral motifs in a blend of Khmer styles known as Klang and Baphuon.

The name Prasat Sdok Kok Thom is thought to mean either “a large castle with abundant reeds” or “a town with abundant reeds in a large swamp.”