- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:57 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Thailand-Cambodia Border dispute: A sharp escalation in fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces has left at least 14 people dead and forced the displacement of more than one lakh civilians, marking the most intense confrontation between the Southeast Asian neighbours in over a decade. According to Thai authorities, The violence broke out on Thursday and continued through Friday, impacting several provinces along the long-contested border where each side accuses the other for the renewed hostilities. The fighting, which included small arms fire, rocket attacks, artillery barrages, and airstrikes, started soon after a landmine explosion on Wednesday wounded five Thai soldiers. The explosion fueled a sudden worsening of diplomatic relations, including the expulsion of ambassadors from both nations. While Thailand has charged Cambodia with laying new Russian-made mines, Cambodian authorities rejected the accusations as "baseless", contending that the mines are leftovers from previous fighting.
Four border provinces were badly hit by cross-border shelling, with immediate evacuation orders issued to people living within a 50-kilometre radius of the border, the Thai Interior Ministry declared. At least 1,00,672 people have been shifted to temporary shelters as of Friday, the ministry confirmed. In Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, just to the south, families evacuated their homes in a state of panic, many using homemade tractors to transport their belongings before setting up in makeshift camps near safer areas.
Disputed Hindu Temple At the Center Of Border Dispute
The conflict began with a clash in May, involving brief exchanges of fire between Thai and Cambodian troops in a disputed border area. Following the clash, both countries implemented measures that further escalated tensions. Thailand closed border crossings, while Cambodia banned Thai movies and fuel imports, among other actions.
A soldier rides a military vehicle in Buriram province, after Thailand scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to bomb targets in Cambodia following artillery volleys from both sides that killed civilians | Credit: Reuters
The renewed violence has escalated around the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, a Hindu temple that has been a source of tension between the two nations for years because it sits on the disputed border. The International Court of Justice granted Cambodia sovereignty over the temple region in 1962. The decision became a significant cause of friction between the two countries. After multiple conflicts between its army and Thai forces that left thousands displaced and killed roughly 20 people, Cambodia returned to the court in 2011. In 2013, the court upheld the decision in Cambodia's favor. Thailand has denied the court's jurisdiction, despite Cambodia's repeated appeals to the international court to settle the border issues.
Thai F-16 fighter jets made airstrikes on Thursday that Bangkok called a defensive reaction to Cambodian truck-mounted rocket fire. Thai Foreign Ministry official Nikorndej Balankura denied the strikes were anything other than "acts of self-defence" and said they targeted only military assets. But Cambodia's Defense Ministry retorted that the airstrikes hit civilian roads along Preah Vihear, a disputed temple and UNESCO World Heritage site stating legal measures would be taken to safeguard what it referred to as the "historical legacy of the Cambodian people". Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata stated, "Cambodia has no choice but to defend its territory against Thai threats," while asserting that Cambodian troops were not targeting civilians.
Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin asserted that 14 individuals have been killed in the recent clashes, 13 of them civilians and one soldier with a minimum of 46 others injured. He blamed Cambodian attacks on civilians and a hospital within Thai territory, vigorously denouncing the actions. "We call for the Cambodian government to immediately put an end to these war criminal practices and adhere to the principles of peaceful coexistence," Somsak stated in Bangkok. The United Nations has also voiced concern over the worsening crisis, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres urging both countries to use "maximum restraint" and resolve differences through talks. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has also asked for a special emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which was held behind closed doors on Friday in New York to address the crisis.
Diplomatic Fallout Deepens
In response to the fighting, Thailand has sealed all land border crossings with Cambodia and advised its citizens to leave the country immediately. Several Thai airlines have stepped in to help repatriate stranded nationals. The confrontation has also contributed to Thailand's political instability, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra still suspended since July 1 following an ethics investigation on how she dealt with a call with ousted Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is now in charge of managing the crisis, cautioning Phnom Penh not to make any further moves.
The new tensions have brought the long-standing border dispute back into sharp relief, with the age-old temples of Ta Muen Thom and Preah Vihear at the heart of rival historical and nationalistic claims. With thousands having been displaced and diplomatic relations strained, regional leaders and international commentators are calling for both sides to return to negotiations and prevent any more bloodshed. As people on both sides of the border prepare for further violence, the world looks on to see if the centuries-old Hindu temple that has weathered so much of history can be saved from the devastation of modern warfare.