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Fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces along their contested border has led to at least 12 fatalities, with many others injured.
This conflict signifies a significant upsurge in a longstanding dispute that has persisted for over a century.
The Thai military reported that most casualties were civilians from three provinces in Thailand, with a total of 11 civilian deaths—including an eight-year-old and a 15-year-old—alongside one military member.
Exchanges of gunfire occurred early Thursday, with both parties blaming each other for igniting the violence.
The situation escalated rapidly, as Thailand accused Cambodia of launching rocket attacks, while Bangkok conducted airstrikes on Cambodian military positions.
Thailand has closed its border with Cambodia, and Cambodia has downgraded diplomatic relations, alleging that Thai forces used "excessive force." Both nations have advised citizens near the border to evacuate, with Thailand relocating around 40,000 civilians to safer areas.
Local resident Sutian Phiwchan expressed the seriousness of the situation, stating, "We’re in the middle of evacuating." Although Cambodia has yet to report casualties, both countries have provided conflicting narratives regarding the incident's origins.
Thailand asserts that the altercation began when Cambodian troops used drones for surveillance near the border. In contrast, Cambodia claims that Thai forces breached an agreement by advancing towards a Khmer-Hindu temple in the disputed region.
This conflict originates over a hundred years ago when the borders were established following French colonial rule in Cambodia.
Hostilities became officially heightened in 2008 when Cambodia sought to register an 11th-century temple in the contested area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inciting strong opposition from Thailand. Since then, sporadic skirmishes have resulted in casualties on both sides.
Recent tensions flared in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation, causing relations to deteriorate to their lowest level in more than a decade.
In the last two months, both nations have enacted border restrictions against each other, with Cambodia halting imports from Thailand—including fruits and vegetables—and suspending power and internet service imports. Both nations have also bolstered troop deployments at the border in recent weeks.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, described the dispute as "delicate" and emphasized the need for careful handling in accordance with international law.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet indicated that Cambodia is pursuing a peaceful resolution but asserted that the country has "no choice" but to "respond with armed force against armed aggression."
