PHNOM PENH, Dec 8 – Rising tensions along the contested frontier between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into fresh violence on Monday as Thailand confirmed that it had carried out airstrikes targeting Cambodian military positions. The clashes revived a long standing territorial dispute that has simmered for generations and periodically escalates into bloodshed despite repeated diplomatic efforts to keep the peace. Both governments accused each other of igniting the latest fighting, while thousands of civilians on both sides began fleeing their homes as the situation deteriorated.
Airstrikes Trigger Evacuations and Casualties
According to Thailand’s military, hostilities resumed early Monday morning around 5 a.m. local time when Thai troops came under fire in several sectors of the disputed border area. One Thai soldier was killed and 8 others were injured in the sudden flare up of violence. Military officials said that the intensity of the assault forced them to request immediate support from the air force, which then launched strikes on Cambodian positions believed to be preparing for expanded operations.
Thailand’s Air Force reported that Cambodian units had mobilised heavy weaponry and repositioned combat elements in ways that were viewed as a direct threat. In its statement, the air force said these movements left Thailand with no option but to deploy air power to limit what it described as Cambodia’s ability to push the confrontation further. The strikes were aimed at what Thailand called active military facilities, although details regarding specific locations were not publicly released.
Cambodia strongly rejected Thailand’s narrative. Its defence ministry stated that Thai forces launched unprovoked attacks at two sites near the border, describing them as unjustified assaults following days of what Phnom Penh considered provocative Thai behavior. Cambodian officials insisted their troops had not fought back and had been ordered not to retaliate. They maintained that the renewed clashes were triggered entirely by Thai aggression.
Amid the escalating conflict, a senior provincial official in Cambodia confirmed that three civilians were seriously wounded as the violence spread near residential zones. Families living close to the frontier described hearing intense exchanges of gunfire and the thundering sound of explosions throughout the morning.
Calls for Restraint
Cambodia’s former long serving leader Hun Sen, father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet, issued a strong message urging restraint among Cambodian troops. He accused Thailand’s military of acting as aggressors and warned that their actions were clearly aimed at provoking a severe response. Hun Sen said that the limits of Cambodia’s patience had already been defined, yet he instructed commanders not to allow anger to override discipline. His comments reflected growing alarm inside the Cambodian leadership about the potential for the situation to spiral beyond control.
Regional leaders voiced similar concerns. The current chair of a prominent Southeast Asian political bloc called on both sides to maintain communication and avoid steps that could intensify the crisis. He cautioned that renewed fighting threatened to undo months of fragile diplomatic progress achieved after the two countries clashed earlier in the year. During that previous conflict, dozens of people were killed and hundreds of thousands fled their homes as both sides exchanged rockets and heavy artillery fire for nearly a week.
Residents living in Thailand’s Ban Kruat district, which borders Cambodia, described the shock of waking up to the sound of intense combat. One local resident said the blasts were so powerful that the ground seemed to tremble and that the noise of both small arms and heavy artillery fire carried clearly through the air. His account matched reports from other communities near the frontier, many of which began large scale evacuations as the fighting intensified.
Thai authorities announced that more than 385,000 civilians across four border districts were being moved to safety. Over 35,000 had already been relocated to temporary shelters by midday, with more expected to follow. Across the border, Cambodian families were also fleeing. A Cambodian opposition figure from Oddar Meanchey Province said he could hear artillery impacts from his home and that panic was spreading among residents. Local officials confirmed that more than 1,100 families had been evacuated from the province.
The tensions that erupted this week have deep historical roots. Thailand and Cambodia have disputed control of various stretches of their shared 817 kilometer border for well over a century. The contested areas stem from early twentieth century mapping that left several zones undefined. These ambiguities have sparked multiple clashes, including a prolonged exchange in 2011 and several shorter confrontations over the years.
Relations had worsened steadily since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief gun battle. Diplomatic exchanges became heated in the months that followed, and armed incidents at the border became more frequent. Although a ceasefire was arranged later with the support of regional leaders, Thailand announced last month that it was suspending its participation in the truce after one of its soldiers was severely injured by a landmine. Thai officials accused Cambodia of planting new mines along the frontier, a charge Cambodia firmly denies.
Analysts who examined mine fragments discovered earlier in the year said some appeared to be newly laid. That conclusion added to suspicions in Thailand and further strained bilateral trust.