Bangkok: Tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border escalated sharply this week as both nations traded heavy artillery and rocket fire for the second consecutive day, marking one of the most dangerous military confrontations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in over a decade.
The fighting, which erupted on July 24, continued into July 25, with Thailand’s military accusing Cambodia of launching coordinated attacks across multiple flashpoints along the disputed eastern border. In retaliation, Thai forces responded with force, including airstrikes by F-16 fighter jets on Cambodian positions. Reports indicate that BM-21 Grad rocket systems and field artillery were used by Cambodian forces, signaling the seriousness of the hostilities.
According to early estimates, at least 15–16 people have been killed, with dozens more wounded many of them civilians. Thailand has evacuated nearly 100,000 residents from border provinces including Ubon Ratchathani and Surin, while Cambodian authorities have reported that 1,500 families were forced to flee their homes. Entire villages lie deserted, and shelters are now overflowing with displaced families caught in the crossfire.
Humanitarian agencies are warning of a looming crisis if hostilities continue, with both food supplies and medical assistance strained by the mass displacement.
The conflict reignited following a landmine blast on July 23 in Thailand’s Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province, which gravely injured a Thai soldier. Thai authorities claim the mine was placed by Cambodian troops in contested territory. The Thai military has labelled the act a clear provocation and breach of sovereignty, accusing Cambodia of “aggression without justification.”
Cambodia has countered by denying the accusation and claiming it was acting in defense against unauthorized Thai military movements in the border region.
As tensions worsened, both nations recalled their ambassadors and expelled each other’s diplomatic envoys, effectively freezing bilateral diplomatic channels. Border crossings between the two countries have been completely sealed off, disrupting trade and local travel for thousands.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai called for an end to the violence but made it clear that Thailand would defend its borders uncompromisingly. He emphasized that negotiations can only resume once Cambodia halts its aggression.
Cambodia, meanwhile, has threatened to take the dispute to international legal forums, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Thailand of violating prior border agreements and peace protocols.
The border dispute between the two nations is rooted in colonial-era demarcation lines drawn by France in 1907. Despite several bilateral agreements and the establishment of a joint border commission in 2000, many sections of the 817-kilometer frontier remain disputed. Military stand-offs, such as the 2011 skirmishes near the Preah Vihear Temple, have periodically reignited tensions. A minor clash in May 2025, which resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier, already foreshadowed the current spiral of violence.
Regional and global actors have expressed grave concern. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), currently chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has called for an immediate ceasefire and return to diplomatic talks. China and the United States have both urged restraint and offered mediation support to avoid further escalation.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office has issued travel advisories against non-essential travel to the conflict-affected regions in both Thailand and Cambodia.
Military analysts warn that any further intensification could spiral into a full-blown regional crisis, potentially destabilizing ASEAN unity and derailing years of hard-won peace-building efforts. Observers are closely watching whether international diplomatic pressure will be enough to restore calm or if the region is witnessing the beginning of a prolonged conflict.
As artillery fire continues to light up the sky over once-quiet border towns, the eyes of the world remain fixed on Southeast Asia waiting, and hoping, for the guns to fall silent before more lives are lost.