Deadly clashes erupt on Thailand-Cambodia border amid escalating tensions

Thursday 24 July 2025 - 08:15

A series of deadly border clashes broke out Thursday between Thailand and Cambodia, marking one of the most intense confrontations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in nearly 15 years. Thai fighter jets struck Cambodian military positions, while artillery fire from Cambodian territory reportedly killed a civilian and injured three others in Thailand.

The violence unfolded in the disputed region near the ancient temples between Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey. Tensions have been rising for weeks following the death of a Cambodian soldier during a skirmish in the contested “Emerald Triangle” area in late May.

According to the Thai military, Cambodian forces opened fire first after a drone surveillance operation detected armed Cambodian soldiers approaching a barbed-wire fence near a Thai base. In contrast, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry accused Thailand of launching an "armed incursion" and asserted that Cambodian troops acted in legitimate self-defense.

A Cambodian artillery shell struck a house in Thailand’s Kap Choeng district, killing one civilian and wounding three, including a five-year-old child. Thai authorities responded by deploying six F-16 jets, which bombed two ground targets across the border.

Thailand’s interim Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, called for calm and pledged to act in accordance with international law to protect national sovereignty. Meanwhile, Cambodia condemned what it labeled “unprovoked and deliberate aggression” and downgraded diplomatic ties with Thailand to the lowest level.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet demanded an emergency meeting, warning of escalating military provocations. Phnom Penh also suspended imports of Thai goods and accused Thailand of laying new landmines, which Bangkok denied.

The border has long been a source of tension due to unclear demarcations dating back to French colonial rule. The last major confrontation, between 2008 and 2011, left at least 28 dead and tens of thousands displaced.