The fate of the eleventh-century temple on the border between Thailand and Cambodia known as Preah Vihear in Khmer, and Khao Phra Wihan in Thai, has been a source of conflict between the Thai and Cambodian governments since the mid-twentieth century. The story of this temple spans the rise of the Empire of Angkor, the confrontation between Siam and French Indochina in the late nineteenth century, the tumultuous era of the Cold War in Southeast Asia, and most recently a decade of political protest and instability in Thailand. Life and Death at Preah Vihear covers this broad sweep of history, opening with an engaging description of the temple as an active sacred space, and then quickly moving to an overview of the “original sin” in the conflict over this temple, the colonial mapping of the Siamese-Cambodian border that placed the temple within the territory of French Indochina. The bulk of the film explores how the temple became a flashpoint of nationalist pride and protest at two key moments, first in 1962 when the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled that the temple belonged not to Thailand, but to Cambodia, and once again in 2008 when UNESCO agreed to inscribe the temple on its World Heritage List.

Instructors looking for a clear and accessible documentary introduction to this complex topic could do no better than this film, which traces this long and thorny history using archival footage; animated maps; and interviews with prominent academics, protesters, and government officials, including Noppadon Pattama, the foreign minister who was forced to resign in 2008 because of the controversy over the UNESCO listing. More importantly, however, the documentary includes the voices of those much closer to the consequences of historical misinterpretation and ultra-nationalist hyperbole, namely the Khmer and Thai soldiers and villagers who live and work near the disputed territory. It is their reflections on the causes and consequences of the conflict that will likely provoke the most interesting classroom discussions among students who view the film.

Like in many documentaries, there is a risk of oversimplification when attempting to distill the complex histories relevant to the film's main subject. The overview of the rise of the Khmer Rouge, for example, might require additional explanation for some students. Overall, however, the filmmakers did an admirable job presenting a complex history for a general to advanced undergraduate audience. Instructors might consider supplementing this film with selections from Shane Strate's Lost Territories (2015), or Preah Vihear: A Guide to Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Its Solutions (2013), co-authored by Pou Sothirak, Pavin Chachavalpongpun, and Charnvit Kasetsiri, who also appear in the film. Although this documentary would be most useful in classes dealing with the modern politics and history of mainland Southeast Asia, with proper context it could also work well in broader discussions of the politics of architectural heritage, as this film effectively conveys both the relevance and the danger of the relics of the past for the politics of the present.