Thailand says the dispute arose from the fact that the Cambodian government used a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia -- a map that places the temple and surrounding area in Cambodian territory.

CNN: Cambodia, Thailand to pull troops from temple

Thailand further says that the dispute arose from the fact that the Cambodian government used a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia that places both the temple and the surrounding area in that country's territory.

CNN: Cambodia reports Thai incursions to U.N.

"The next five years will be the time investment takes off in Cambodia and the country starts to put itself on the map, " explained Douglas Clayton, founder of Leopard Capital, which manages a private equity fund that invests in Cambodia.

CNN: Cambodia's athletes seek a better playing field

Even as these dark memories linger, though, Laos is poised to follow a path traveled by its neighbors Vietnam and Cambodia, both now hot spots of a different sort: on the tourism map.

FORBES: Asian Beauty

Then almost overnight I was a guy who woke up and looked at a map with his friends saying where do you want to go today: Cambodia or Indonesia?

FORBES: Anthony Bourdain On His New Memoir, 'Medium Raw'