Hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia stretched into a third day on Saturday, with new flashpoints erupting and both nations scrambling to secure diplomatic support. Each side accused the other of aggression while insisting they acted in self-defence and called for immediate negotiations.
The latest violence marks the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in over a decade. At least 30 people have died, including civilians and soldiers, while more than 130,000 people have been displaced.
Early Saturday, Thailand reported fresh clashes in the coastal province of Trat — a new front located more than 100 kilometres from the initial border conflict zones. The long-contested frontier between the two nations has become the site of deadly confrontations since a Cambodian soldier was killed in late May during a brief exchange of fire.
Tensions have pushed Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink. Thai authorities report 19 fatalities on their side, while Cambodian officials confirmed the deaths of five soldiers and eight civilians.
Local communities have been upended by the violence. In Thailand’s Kanthralak district, near the border, hotel worker Chianuwat Thalalai described an eerily empty town. “Nearly everybody’s gone — it’s almost a deserted city,” he told Reuters.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, Thailand’s ambassador claimed Cambodian forces had planted land mines on Thai soil and launched coordinated attacks. “Thailand urges Cambodia to immediately cease all hostilities and resume dialogue in good faith,” Ambassador Cherdchai Chaivaivid said.
Cambodia, in turn, accused Thailand of initiating an unprovoked and unlawful military assault, and claimed Bangkok was amassing troops and equipment along the border. “These military preparations reveal Thailand’s intent to escalate aggression and breach Cambodia’s sovereignty,” Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said.
Phnom Penh called on the international community to condemn what it labelled as Thai aggression and warned of a potential expansion of hostilities. Thailand, however, dismissed Cambodia’s appeal for international intervention, reiterating its preference for bilateral resolution.
The root of the conflict traces back decades, centred around contested territory along the 817-kilometre border, including the ancient Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear temples. Although the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, disputes reignited in 2008 when Cambodia sought UNESCO World Heritage status for the site.
While Cambodia has recently appealed to the international court to resolve the dispute, Thailand maintains it does not recognise the court’s jurisdiction and insists on direct negotiations.
With both sides digging in and civilians bearing the brunt, the international community now watches closely as tensions threaten to spiral into a broader regional crisis.