BANGKOK (AP) — On Thursday, tensions between Thailand and Cambodia surged when gunfire was exchanged along their border, leading to the death of at least nine civilians.
Amidst mutual accusations of initiating the military exchanges, both countries have reduced their diplomatic ties since Wednesday. Thailand has also taken the step of closing all land border crossings with Cambodia. The deterioration of relations follows a deadly confrontation in May where a Cambodian soldier was killed, further fueling nationalist sentiments on both sides.
The Thai military reported that the highest number of casualties occurred in Si Sa Ket province. Six individuals lost their lives after a gas station was shot at, and 14 others were injured across three border provinces.
In response to the escalating conflict, the Thai army conducted airstrikes targeting Cambodian military sites, while the Cambodian Defense Ministry claimed that Thai jets bombed a road close to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Government Responses to Escalating Tensions
According to Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri, clashes are continuing in at least six areas along the border. The initial confrontation on Thursday morning occurred near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, along the border dividing Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.
A live video feed from the Thai side depicted residents fleeing their homes and taking shelter in concrete bunkers amid the sound of explosions.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Cambodia of targeting both military and civilian sites, including a hospital. “The Royal Thai Government calls upon Cambodia to take responsibility for the incidents that have occurred, cease attacks against civilian and military targets, and stop all actions that violate Thailand’s sovereignty. The Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand’s sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles,” stated Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry’s spokesperson.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized the nation’s preference for peaceful resolution, but acknowledged, “we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.”
Diplomatic and Border Disruptions
In retaliation to Thailand’s diplomatic actions, Cambodia downgraded its relations with Thailand to the lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and withdrawing its own staff from the embassy in Bangkok. This followed Thailand’s withdrawal of its ambassador and expulsion of the Cambodian ambassador, a reaction to a land mine incident injuring five Thai soldiers.
In the initial clash on Thursday, the Thai army reported hearing a drone before spotting six armed Cambodian soldiers approaching their station. Thai soldiers attempted to de-escalate the situation verbally, but the Cambodian forces opened fire.
Cambodia’s Defense Ministry similarly accused Thailand of first using a drone before firing, asserting that Cambodia “acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity.”
The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh advised Thai citizens to leave Cambodia if possible and warned against traveling to Cambodia unless necessary due to ongoing clashes at the border.
On Wednesday, a land mine explosion near the border injured five Thai soldiers, one of whom suffered a leg amputation. A similar incident a week prior wounded three soldiers, with one losing a foot. Thai authorities claimed the mines were newly placed on paths previously deemed safe by mutual agreement, alleging they were Russian-made and not used by Thailand’s military. Cambodia dismissed these allegations as “baseless,” noting the presence of unexploded mines from past conflicts.
The border dispute has sparked political consequences in Thailand, where the prime minister faces suspension pending an ethics investigation related to the issue.
Such territorial disputes have been a recurrent source of tension between the two nations, particularly regarding the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Cambodian sovereignty over the temple area, a decision that has long frustrated Thailand. Cambodia sought the court’s intervention again in 2011 after a series of deadly clashes, resulting in a reaffirmation of the initial ruling in 2013, a resolution that continues to be contentious for Thailand.
