What we covered here
• Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian military targets along their long-disputed border, escalating tensions between the Southeast Asian neighbors. Thailand also accused Cambodia of launching rockets into civilian areas. Thailand’s health ministry said that at least 12 people, including 11 civilians and one soldier, have been killed in clashes with Cambodian troops.
• The strikes came a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg to a landmine on the border, prompting a downgrade of diplomatic ties by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh as relations collapse to their lowest level in years.
• Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended this month and could face dismissal after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen, in which she appeared to criticize her army’s actions in the dispute.
• Thailand and Cambodia have a relationship of both cooperation and rivalry. They share a 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border — largely mapped by France when it ruled Cambodia — that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions.
Cambodia condemns Thai military over damage to UNESCO World Heritage Site
Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has expressed its “strongest condemnation of the aggression” carried out by Thailand’s military, saying that the targeting of Preah Vihear temple — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — “may constitute war crimes.”
In a statement Thursday, the ministry called the strikes a “grave and unacceptable violation of international law” and a “blatant disregard” for legal obligations to protect cultural heritage.
The strikes caused “significant damage” to both the “surrounding area and the structures” of the temple, it said. The temple, it added, is a “sacred cultural site and historical legacy of the Cambodian people.”
The ministry claimed Thailand’s “aggressive actions” are both a “cultural disaster and a moral tragedy,” warning of “far-reaching consequences for global heritage and the national identity of the Cambodian people.”
The ministry demanded the stop to military activity near the temple.
Cambodia’s defense ministry said earlier Thursday that a Thai F-16 fighter jet had dropped two bombs on a road near the 11th-century temple as clashes erupted at several flashpoints along the two countries’ disputed border.
Japan urges Cambodia and Thailand to “de-escalate” border tensions
Japan has expressed “deep concern” over the ongoing military clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, urging both sides to show “maximum restraint” and resolve tensions through dialogue.
“Japan has been working to encourage both countries to de-escalate the situation,” Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in a statement on Thursday. “A sound relationship between Cambodia and Thailand is extremely important for peace and stability in the region.”
He added that he “strongly hopes” that the tension between the two countries “will be eased peacefully through dialogue.”
Thailand has launched airstrikes at Cambodia. Here’s what to know
If you’re just joining us, Thailand has launched airstrikes against what it says were Cambodian military targets along the two countries’ long-disputed border. It has also accused Cambodia of firing rockets into Thai civilian areas, resulting in at least one death.
For its part, Cambodia has said it would “respond decisively” to the strikes, accusing Thai forces of violating arrangements by ascending to the Ta Muan Thom Temple and deploying barbed wire at the base of the temple. It also said Thai forces launched a drone.
Here’s how this all unfolded:
- Skirmishes in May: Tensions between the two countries started to worsen in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in a contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos meet. Thai and Cambodian forces said they were acting in self-defense and blamed each other for the skirmish. Although military leaders from Thailand and Cambodia said they wished to de-escalate, both sides have since engaged in saber-rattling and reinforced troops along the border.
- Thai PM suspension: The Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from duties earlier this month and could face dismissal after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s father — in which she appeared to criticize her own army’s actions in the dispute.
- Soldier loses leg: On Wednesday, a Thai soldier lost his leg to a landmine on the border, prompting a downgrade of diplomatic ties by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh.
- Thailand deploys jets: After the soldier lost his leg, a Thai fighter jet dropped bombs on Cambodian military targets along their disputed border on Thursday.
- Cambodia responds: Cambodia’s defense ministry confirmed that a Thai F-16 had dropped two bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It condemned what it called “brutal, barbaric, and violent military aggression,” accusing Thailand of violating international law.
- Civilians killed: Armed clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors killed at least 11 civilians and one soldier in Thailand. Cambodia has not yet released a civilian death toll.
- Thailand accuses Cambodia of strikes: Thailand has accused Cambodia of launching a strike on civilian infrastructure. Cambodia has not yet responded to this accusation, but earlier swore to “respond decisively.”
- End of talks until fighting stops: The Thai government has called on the international community to condemn Cambodia’s actions in a post on Facebook, accusing the country of being a “war-monger that disregards human rights by continuously using heavy weapons against civilian targets.” The acting prime minister said the country will not resume talks until the fighting stops.
The Cambodian prime minister urges his country’s citizens in Thailand to return if they don’t feel safe
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday urged his country’s citizens living in Thailand to “maintain their morality and dignity” and to return home if they are “facing pressure from discrimination.”
He added: “For Cambodian citizens who are living, working, or studying in Thailand and may be facing pressure from discrimination and wish to return to Cambodia, please come back to our country.”
At least 12 killed in Thailand amid clashes on disputed border, officials say
Thailand’s health ministry said Thursday that 12 people, including 11 civilians and one Thai soldier, have been killed in clashes with Cambodian troops on the disputed border.
A further 31 people, including 24 civilians and seven soldiers, have been injured, the ministry said.
Cambodian authorities have not yet reported any fatalities on their side.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed their border since it was drawn. Here’s what led to today’s tensions
Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of periodic military flare-ups and nationalist disputes.
French officials, during their colonial rule in Cambodia, drew a map of the border in 1907 that Thailand contested — saying France did not fully demarcate certain areas, including the sites of several temples.
Here’s a look at the events leading to today’s conflict:
2011: Thai and Cambodian troops clashed in an area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple, displacing thousands of people on both sides and killing at least 20 people.
May 28: Tensions resurfaced when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in the contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. Thai and Cambodian forces said they were acting in self-defense and blamed the other for the skirmish.
July 1: Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from duty and now faces possible dismissal after a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader in which she appeared to criticize her own army’s handling of the conflict.
July 16: A landmine explosion in a contested area wounded three Thai soldiers when one of them stepped on it and lost a foot.
July 23: On Wednesday, a landmine blast in a contested area wounded five Thai soldiers, including one who lost a leg. In response, Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia and closed all border crossings with its neighbor.
July 24: Cambodia, in turn, announced that it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to the lowest level and recalling all embassy staff from Bangkok.
Thailand rules out talks with Cambodia until fighting stops, acting PM says
No negotiation with Cambodia can take place until fighting along the border ends, Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said.
The acting premier said there had been no declaration of war and that conflict was not spreading into more provinces, according to Reuters.
He added that Cambodia had fired heavy weapons into Thailand without clear targets, leading to civilian deaths.
Cambodia previously said a Thai F-16 fighter jet dropped two bombs on a road. There was no immediate information on casualties on the Cambodian side.
Thailand calls for international condemnation of Cambodia
Thailand’s government called for “international condemnation” of Cambodia in a statement posted on its official Facebook page.
Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub accused Cambodia of “being a war-monger that disregards human rights by continuously using heavy weapons against civilian targets.”
The post claimed Cambodian forces fired heavy weapons into civilian areas — including a hospital and homes in Surin province — resulting in several casualties.
Former Cambodian leader Hun Sen says “no choice but to fight back” against Thailand
Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen said the country had “no choice but to fight back” against Thailand, as he urged the public to remain calm and avoid panic buying.
In a later post, Hun Sen said he was participating in the military command via video link, following reports that he had left Cambodia for China.
“I have been sitting here since the Thai 2nd Region Commander said he would close the entrance to Ta Moan Thom Temple,” Hun Sen said,specifically blaming the Thai commander for the escalation.
He also urged Cambodians to carry out normal work “except the border areas of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces, which have been shelled by the Thai invasion army.”
How today’s clashes between Thailand and Cambodia unfolded
Thailand and Cambodia have provided accounts of how the conflict escalated.
Here’s a timeline based on both accounts:
- 6:30 a.m. local time – According to Cambodia, Thai forces began violating arrangements by ascending to the Ta Muan Thom Temple and deploying barbed wire at the base of the temple.
- 7:04 – Thai forces launched a drone for two minutes, Cambodia said.
- 7:35 – A Cambodian drone was spotted at Ta Muen Thom Temple, Thailand said.
- 8:20 – According to Thailand, Cambodian forces opened fire.
- 8:30 –Thai forces opened fire, Cambodia said.
- 8:46 – Cambodia said Thai forces initiated an armed assault on its troops stationed at Ta Muan Thom Temple at this time. The attack then expanded to Ta Krabey Temple, Phnom Khmao (Black Mountain), and later to the Moum Bei area.
- 8:50 – Thailand said Cambodia launched “supporting fire” toward the Ta Muen Thom Temple area.
- 8:55 – Thailand said clashes erupted along the entire border at this time, with small arms and heavy weapons used, including near the Ta Muen Thom Temple.
- 9:00 – Thailand said one of its soldiers was wounded.
- 9:11 – Cambodian fire intensifies on the western side of the Ta Muen Temple group, wounding two more Thai soldiers, according to Thailand.
- 9:30 – Cambodia fires BM-21 rockets from a base on Khao Laem Hill, which is about 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) south of the Chong Chom border crossing, Thailand said, adding that the rockets landed on Thai soil and it responded with mortars.
- 9:42 – Cambodia launched BM-21 rockets at the Border Development Centre in Kap Choeng district, according to Thailand.
- 9:47 – Thailand said fighting spread across all border areas at this time, including Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, and Sisaket.
- 9:50 – Thailand said Cambodian forces tried to gain access to a Thai territory near the Ta Kwai Temple, to which they responded with artillery fire.
- 10:30 – Clashes broke out in six locations, Thailand said: Ta Muen Thom Temple, Ta Kwai Temple, Chong Bok, Khao Phra Wihan, Chong An Ma and Chong Chom.
- 10:40 – Thai F-16 fighter jets dropped two bombs near the road leading to Wat Kaew Seekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda in Cambodian territory, Cambodia said.
- 10:51 – Thailand said it deployed six F-16 fighter jets to the Chong An Ma border region.
- 10:58 –Thailand claimed to have destroyed Cambodian military bases with the jets.
- 11:00 – Cambodia launched BM-21 rockets into civilian areas, Thailand said. One civilian was killed, and three seriously wounded, including a child. A hospital, gas station and residential area were hit.
- 11:37 – Thailand said it destroyed a supply cable car used by Cambodian forces.
- 11:54 – According to Thailand, Cambodian forces attacked the Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in the Surin province, wounding civilians.
- 11:55 – Thailand closes all border checkpoints between the two countries.
- 12:00 – Thailand’s prime minister condemns Cambodia’s attack and says the military and government are “fully committed and equipped to ensure national security and civilian safety.”
Thai residents near Cambodian border run for cover, footage shows
Residents in Thailand’s Surin province ran for cover as clashes erupted at the border with Cambodia, according to local news footage.
A crowd, mostly women and at least one child, took shelter under a concrete tunnel structure, footage from Thai Public Broadcasting Service showed, while others raced down a road across a rural neighborhood.
Sounds of what appeared to be impacts and gunfire exchanges could also be heard.
What countries are telling their citizens about the Thailand-Cambodia conflict
As tensions flare between Thailand and Cambodia, the US and China have advised their citizens to be vigilant near the border.
The US embassy in Thailand warned Americans in or near the area to heed advice from Thai authorities who began evacuating conflict zones on Thursday.
Thailand’s embassy in Phnom Penh said its people should leave Cambodia “as soon as possible” unless they had urgent reasons to remain.
And China’s embassy urged its citizens in Cambodia to avoid areas near the border and “remain vigilant.”
China’s foreign ministry said at a press conference on Thursday it is “deeply concerned” about escalating tensions between its neighbors and stressed the importance of “maintaining friendly relations” with “long-term interests on both sides.”
Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters China will “continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and dialogue to help ease tensions.”
Villagers on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border fear for their safety
Residents on the Thai and Cambodian sides of their shared border say people are fleeing their homes amid the deadly clashes.
Chhan Rorn Yon, a 45-year-old farmer in Cambodia, told CNN he had heard explosions since 9 a.m. local time.
“I am so concerned that the bomb drop and the bullet will kill us,” he said from Sa Em village in Preah Vihear province, 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of the conflict area where the shooting first erupted.
Chhan Rorn Yon said his neighbors sought refuge in a pagoda in a nearby town, but he will remain in the village. “I am worried about our safety but I can’t leave the house,” he said.
Noun Hean, 40, a tuk tuk driver also near the Preah Vihear temple, said shooting is ongoing.
In Thailand’s Surin province, Komsan Jaipeng told CNN that when the clashes began, he saw many schoolchildren rushing to escape.
Komsan was opening up his motorcycle shop when he first heard a boom. His boss told him and the other staff to evacuate.
Komsan said he had prepared a bag of items for more than a month now, including spare clothes and phone chargers.
Thailand closes border with Cambodia as conflict escalates
Thailand closed its border with Cambodia after conflict between the neighboring countries intensified, according to Thai officials.
“We have escalated the measures to level 4, which involves the complete closure of all border checkpoints along the Thai Cambodian border,” said Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a spokesperson for Ad Hoc Centre for Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation.
Surasant said Thailand felt “obligated and compelled” to close the border because the situation had escalated.
Cambodia’s prime minister urges UN Security Council to convene urgently to “stop Thailand’s aggression”
Cambodia’s Prime Minister has called on the United Nations Security Council to convene an “urgent meeting” to “stop Thailand’s aggression,” after fighting intensified between the neighbors.
Prime Minister Hun Manet said Thai armed forces launched “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks on Cambodian positions along the border areas,” accusing it of violating international law in a letter to Security Council President Asim Iftikhar Ahmad.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating both its sovereignty and international law by laying landmines within Thai territory on the disputed border, and by firing rockets into civilian areas this morning.
Thailand was “prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations,” its statement said
Death toll in Thailand rises to 11
At least 11 civilians have been killed in Cambodia’s attacks in Thailand, the Thai Health Ministry said.
Cambodia has not yet reported any fatalities on its side.
Thailand-Cambodia clash “likely to get worse before it gets better,” analyst says
The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is “likely to get worse before it gets better,” an analyst said, as relations between the Southeast Asian countries collapse to their lowest level in years.
The next few days could see more “confrontation, clashes, escalation,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University, told CNN. “Each side has so much pent-up tension.”
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended this month after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen, in which she appeared to criticize her army’s actions in their long-standing border dispute.
Some background: Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia with an iron fist for almost 40 years, stepped down in 2023 and handed power to his son Hun Manet. But he remains a hugely influential figure in Cambodian politics:He serves as senate president and was a friend and ally of Paetongtarn’s father, the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
“(Thailand’s) government is very weak and there’s no unity,” said Pongsudhirak, adding Cambodia is “exploiting divisions in Thailand.”
The border dispute will make the ASEAN regional grouping “even more off balance,” Pongsudhirak said. The grouping, which includes Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, among other Southeast Asian countries, has faced challenges and setbacks in recent years, including internal conflicts, territorial disputes, and geopolitical tensions.
Cambodian rocket attack on Thai gas station killed six people, Thai army says
Six civilians were killed and 10 other people wounded when a Cambodian rocket hit a busy gas station in a Thai village, according to Thailand’s army.
The rocket struck a gas station in the Sisaket province, an army spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
Social media videos geolocated by CNN showed several wounded people outside a heavily damaged 7/11 store, with smoke in the background. The store’s entrance was destroyed and its windows were shattered, according to the videos. Several people could be seen running to help a wounded person who was lying in a pick-up truck.
At least nine people have been killed and over a dozen were wounded in Thailand in Cambodian attacks, including an 8-year-old boy, according to the Thai army. Two of the other deaths were in Surin province, while one was in Ubon Ratchathani province.
There was no immediate information about casualties in Cambodia.
Why is the Thai-Cambodian border still disputed?
Thailand and Cambodia have had a complicated relationship of both cooperation and rivalry in recent decades.
They share a 508-mile (817-kilometer) land border — largely mapped by the French when they controlled Cambodia as a colony — that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions.
Cambodia has previously sought a ruling from the UN’s International Court of Justice over disputed areas, including the site of the most recent clash.
But Thailand does not recognize the ICJ’s jurisdiction and claims that some areas along the border were never fully demarcated, including the sites of several ancient temples.
In 2011, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed in a nearby area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO world heritage site, displacing thousands of people on both sides and killing at least 20 people.
What caused the flare-up between Thailand and Cambodia?
Tensions worsened in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in a contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos meet.
Thai and Cambodian forces said they were acting in self-defense and blamed the other for the skirmish.
Although military leaders from Thailand and Cambodia said they wished to de-escalate, both sides have since engaged in saber-rattling and reinforced troops along the border.
Thailand took control of border checkpoints, imposed restrictions on crossings and threatened to cut electricity and internet to Cambodia’s border towns. Cambodia, in return, stopped imports of Thai fruit and vegetables and banned Thai movies and TV dramas.
Recent landmine explosions prompted both countries to downgrade relations with each other and recall diplomatic staff.
The first soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion on July 16. The second incident occurred Wednesday, when a blast injured five Thai soldiers, with one losing his leg. Thursday’s violence marked a significant escalation.
The conflict has had huge political ramifications in Thailand.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from duties on July 1 after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen in June, in which she appeared to criticize her own army’s actions in the dispute.
Shinawatra hails from a powerful dynasty and became Thailand’s youngest prime minister last year, at just 38. She could face full dismissal over the call, in which she appeared to signal there was discord between her government and the powerful Thai military.
Few international tourists visit the area where Thai and Cambodian forces clashed
The area where Thai and Cambodian forces clashed today, near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple, is not considered a popular destination for international travelers.
The temple lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand’s Surin province and in Cambodia’s northwest. It’s about 250 miles (400 kilometers) northeast of the Thai capital Bangkok and a five-to-six-hour drive by car.
Surin’s airport does not currently serve commercial flights. The nearest airport offering daily connections with Bangkok is in neighboring Buriram province, about an hour’s drive from downtown Surin and 90 minutes from the temple.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has increased efforts to promote the country’s northeast in recent years, highlighting its unique cuisine, festivals and ancient sites. The region comprises 20 provinces, including Buriram and Surin, and is collectively referred to as Isan.
Unlike Thailand’s north, home to popular destinations such as Chiang Mai, Pai and Chiang Rai, Isan has remained off the radar for the bulk of the millions of international tourists who visit the country each year.
At least eight people in Thailand killed by Cambodian attack, Thai police say
At least eight people in Thailand have been killed in clashes with Cambodia today, Thai police said.
A rocket hit a convenience store in Ban Nam Yen, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the border with Cambodia, District Chief of Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, told Thai public broadcaster PBS.
Thailand accused Cambodian troops of firing two BM-21 rockets into a civilian area in Kap Choeng district, in Surin province, wounding three civilians.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said Cambodian attacks on civilian areas continued throughout Thursday, including at the Phanom Dong Rak Hospital.
Cambodia previously said a Thai F-16 fighter jet dropped two bombs on a road. There was no immediate information on casualties on the Cambodian side.
Fighting erupted at six locations along entire length of border, says Thai military
Clashes have been reported along the entire length of the disputed frontier between Cambodia and Thailand, military officials said.
Thai military officials said clashes, involving small arms and heavy weapons, have since spread along the frontline affecting a total of sixlocations. This includes sites in Surin province, Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani.
The violence began Thursday morning local time at the ancient, disputed Ta Muen Thom temple site in Thailand’s Surin province, but it is also claimed by Cambodia. Both countries accused their neighbor of firing the first salvo.
Though Cambodia hasn’t acknowledged all six locations, its Defense Ministry said all affected areas “are within Cambodian territory … and are actively protected by Cambodian forces.”
Thailand’s military is more than triple the size of Cambodia’s, and better equipped
Thailand’s military dwarfs that of neighboring Cambodia, both in personnel and weaponry.
Thailand’s 361,000 active-duty personnel spread across all branches of its military is three times Cambodia’s manpower.
And Thailand is far ahead of Cambodia when it comes to weaponry.
The US classes Thailand as a major non-NATO ally, the IISS notes. That has enabled it to enjoy decades of US support for its weapons programs, although it has also boosted ties with China in recent years and has developed a strong domestic weapons industry with the help of countries such as Israel, Italy, Russia, South Korea and Sweden, the report said.
The air force’s equipment includes at least 11 modern Swedish Gripen fighter jets and dozens of older US-made F-16 and F-5 jets, according to the IISS. Cambodia has no combat-capable air force.
On the ground, Thailand has dozens of battle tanks, including 60 modern, Chinese-made VT-4 tanks, and hundreds of older, US-made tanks. Cambodia has around 200 old Chinese- and Soviet-made tanks, the “Military Balance” shows.
The Thai army boasts more than 600 artillery pieces, including at least 56 powerful 155mm weapons and more than 550 105mm towed guns. Cambodia has only a dozen 155mm guns with around 400 smaller towed artillery pieces, according to IISS figures.
In the air, the Thai army has US-made Cobra attack helicopters and 18 US Black Hawk transports. Cambodia has only a few dozen older Soviet and Chinese transport helicopters.
Thailand’s armed forces are also regular participants in international military exercises, most prominently the annual Cobra Gold exercises, which Bangkok co-hosts with the US Indo-Pacific Command. Cobra Gold began in 1982 as joint drills with the US, but has added dozens of other participants since then. It’s the longest-running international military exercise in the world, according to the US military.
Thai embassy urges citizens to leave Cambodia, warning conflict “is likely to be prolonged and may expand”
The Thai embassy in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh is urging its citizens to leave the country “as soon as possible” as border clashes intensify, warning that the conflict “is likely to be prolonged and may expand further.”
The embassy also advised against any non-essential travel to Cambodia.
Cambodia confirms Thai airstrikes hit its territory, accuses neighbor of “brutal” aggression
Cambodia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed that Thailand’s airstrikes hit its territory, and said it would “respond decisively.”
Thailand said it had readied six F-16 jets, and later claimed to have “destroyed” two Cambodian regional military headquarters.
Cambodia denounced what it described as Thailand’s “brutal, barbaric and violent military aggression,” its statement said.
Before jets were launched, armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces broke out
Hours before Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets against Cambodian military targets, armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces broke out along the border on Thursday, according to military officials.
They began early morning when Thailand’s military said Cambodian troops fired at a Thai army base in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple – which lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand’s Surin province and in Cambodia’s northwest. It said Cambodia had deployed an unmanned drone in front of the temple before sending troops in with weapons.
It also accused Cambodian troops of firing heavy weapons into a civilian area in the nearby Kap Choeng district, in Surin province.
A Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson said their troops had acted in self-defense after an unprovoked incursion from Thai soldiers.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a post on Facebook that Thailand attacked army positions at two temple sites in its Oddar Meanchey province, as well as in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province.
Hun Manet also called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm.
At least two Thai soldiers were injured on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing a Thai army official.
Two hospitals in Thailand’s Surin province near the site of the clash have begun evacuating patients, according to Thailand’s ministry of public health.
Thailand launches fighter jets as clashes erupt with Cambodia over disputed border
Thailand has deployed fighter jets against Cambodian military targets along their disputed border, in a dramatic escalation of tensions that threatens to erupt into a broader conflict.
The attack comes a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion, an incident that saw relations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors collapse to their lowest level in years.
Thailand’s 2nd regional military command in the northeast said on Facebook that F-16 fighter jets had been deployed. It also claimed to have “destroyed” two Cambodian regional military headquarters.
Thailand’s Deputy Army spokesperson Col. Richa Suksuwanont said the airstrikes were aimed only at military targets.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Cambodian side.
Armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces had broken out along the disputed border earlier on Thursday, according to military officials, wounding civilians and prompting the evacuation of residents in Thailand.
credit: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/thailand-cambodia-border-dispute-07-24-25-intl-hnk