Follow the author of this article

On Monday the International Court of Justice said that Cambodia should have sovereignty over the land surrounding the temple, potentially ending a long-standing rift between the two countries. It ordered Thailand to withdraw any soldiers from the area.

Since 2008 there have been occasional clashes between troops at Preah Vihear, prompting the Foreign Office to advise Britons against all travel there. The ruling could now allow holidaymakers to visit safely.

Peter Tomka, president of the International Court of Justice, said the court had decided "that Cambodia had sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear. In consequence, Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw from that territory the Thai military or police forces or other guards or keepers that were stationed there.”

General Srey Deuk, Cambodian regional commander, told the BBC that he expected no further problems with the Thai military following the court’s judgment.

The temple was ruled to be Cambodia’s in 1962, but both countries continued to lay claim to the land surrounding it. The issue came to a head in 2008 when Cambodia secured Unesco World Heritage Status for the site, prompting the start of occasional skirmishes. The judgment, a clarification of the original 1962 ruling, cannot be appealed.

Preah Vihear is even older than the better-known site of Angkor Wat, and dates back to the 11th century. Unesco describes it as “particularly well preserved, mainly due to its remote location.” It adds that the site is “exceptional for the quality of its architecture, which is adapted to the natural environment and the religious function of the temple, as well as for the exceptional quality of its carved stone ornamentation.”

"At the Buddhist shrine at the heart of the main sanctuary, Thai tourists prayed and lit incense sticks, and a young monk sat idly stroking a dog," wrote. "Our young guide then showed us along a corridor in the cloisters surrounding the shrine and through a door at the back that opened to the top of the mountain and Preah Vihear's great secret, its views, only hinted at by the climb through the complex.

"From the rocks at the top of the escarpment there is a sheer drop of 2,400 feet to forested plains that seem to stretch away to a mesmerising infinity. A twist to our left offered a view of Laos, behind was Thailand, and beneath our feet were centuries of culture, war, national struggle and now, at last, peace."