Heavy fighting has erupted for a second consecutive day along the disputed Thailand-Cambodia border, leaving at least 15 people dead and displacing over 100,000 civilians, as tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbors boil over.
The conflict, centered around contested stretches of their 800-kilometer (500-mile) border—much of which was demarcated during French colonial rule—erupted early Friday morning. Thai military officials reported that clashes began at 4:30 a.m. when Cambodian forces opened fire using small arms and heavy weaponry. In response, Thailand launched retaliatory artillery strikes.
The Thai army confirmed skirmishes in two locations within Ubon Ratchathani province and one in Surin province, with residents warned to avoid the conflict zones. Cambodian rocket attacks on Thursday hit Thailand’s Kantharalak district, prompting bomb disposal operations and recovery of casualties, Thai officials said.
At least 14 people—mostly civilians—have died in Thailand, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Cambodia has reported one death and five injuries, with more than 4,000 residents in Oddar Meanchey province displaced.
In response to Thursday’s rocket fire, Thailand scrambled F-16 fighter jets and bombed what it claimed were Cambodian military targets. A Thai military video—yet to be independently verified—showed drones dropping ordnance on forested positions across the border, resulting in explosions and rising smoke.
The violence has forced mass evacuations. More than 100,000 Thai civilians have been relocated to temporary shelters, while videos from Cambodia show residents fleeing under the cover of darkness with makeshift belongings.
"We are shocked by the fighting," said Ngerntra Pranoram, an evacuee in Surin province. "Nobody wants this. It’s especially hard for the elderly and disabled."
The latest flare-up follows a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Tensions had been mounting since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in another border skirmish near the Emerald Triangle region.
Although Thailand and Cambodia share economic and cultural ties, their border has long been a source of friction—particularly around areas rich in archaeological heritage. Thailand’s military, significantly larger and more advanced than Cambodia’s, also enjoys long-standing support from the United States, which classifies Bangkok as a major non-NATO ally.
In light of the escalation, international calls for calm have poured in. The United States, Japan, and China have urged both nations to de-escalate and resolve disputes through dialogue.
As of Friday morning, fighting remains active and tensions high. Cambodian officials have warned that the situation remains "heated" and unpredictable.
BOB Post
