It all started in 1954 when Cambodian soldiers encountered Thai military personnel stationed on the Temple immediately after Cambodia regained its independence from France.3 Cambodia protested and notified Thai authorities that the Temple was on the Cambodian territory but Thailand refused to withdraw its troops. So Cambodia brought – on the grounds of the violation of its territorial sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple and its vicinity – the case before the International Court of Justice in 1959. The mandate of this judicial organ of the United Nations (UN) located in The Hague, Netherlands is to settle on the grounds of international law legal disputes submitted to it by a state.