Thailand and Cambodia descended into their most intense military conflict in over a decade, with heavy artillery, rockets, and airstrikes ripping across the disputed border. At least 16 people have died 15 in Thailand (including 14 civilians and one soldier) and one civilian in Cambodia, while over 130,000 residents have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Cambodian forces, deploying BM‑21 rocket launchers and field artillery, intensified bombardments targeting Thai villages and infrastructure near Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples.
In response, Thailand scrambled F‑16 fighter jets, conducting precision airstrikes against Cambodian military bases across the border.
The Thai military has called Cambodia’s rocket attacks “barbaric acts” against civilians, accusing the Cambodian side of aiming at non‑combatant targets.
Thai officials report at least 138,000 civilians evacuated, primarily from Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Buriram, and Sisaket provinces, following widespread shelling and a hit on a gas station in Sisaket that killed several people, including an 8‑year‑old boy.
Cambodia reports over 1,500 families evacuated in Oddar Meanchey province; official Cambodian casualty figures remain unconfirmed, with a local official citing one civilian killed and five wounded.
Diplomatic Fallout and Accusations
Thailand responded to escalating tensions by recalling its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelling Cambodia’s envoy.
Cambodia has separately accused Thailand of using cluster munitions, calling this “a serious violation of humanitarian norms”.
Thailand, in turn, blamed Cambodia for deploying drones, rockets, and troops near temple zones, and said that Cambodia initiated the conflict.
The conflict stems from a century‑old territorial dispute, particularly over the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples, which remain contested despite a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling awarding the site to Cambodia.
Rising nationalism, political turbulence inside Thailand—including a leaked phone call between the Thai PM and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen—have further inflamed tensions and contributed to the breakdown in diplomacy in mid‑June 2025.
Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned that the clashes “could develop into war” if not contained, emphasizing that current hostilities remain localized but dangerous.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, labeling Thai actions as “unprovoked and premeditated aggression”.
The U.S., China, and ASEAN nations have joined calls for an immediate ceasefire, urging restraint and negotiations amid fears of full‑scale war.
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