Tensions along the contested Thai-Cambodian border have dramatically escalated with renewed military engagements, including alleged airstrikes and heavy artillery exchanges. The Cambodian Defense Ministry reported Thursday that Thai fighter jets dropped three bombs in border regions, accusing Thailand of violating international laws through deployment of heavy weapons and troop incursions. Thailand’s military countered that these actions were responses to Cambodian artillery and mortar attacks on their positions the previous night.
The conflict has resulted in significant human casualties, with approximately two dozen reported fatalities this week and hundreds of thousands displaced on both sides. Thailand confirmed nine soldier deaths since Monday, while Cambodia reported eleven civilian fatalities and seventy-four wounded. The fighting has damaged residential areas near the border, with Thailand claiming destruction of Cambodian military infrastructure including a strategic crane near the historic Preah Vihear temple.
International concern continues to mount, with Pope Leo XIV expressing deep sadness at the renewed conflict and civilian suffering. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voiced strong concern about fighting near the World Heritage-listed Preah Vihear temple, offering technical assistance for its protection.
The current escalation follows the collapse of a July ceasefire brokered by Malaysia under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened trade privilege suspensions. Despite the agreement, minor cross-border violence and propaganda campaigns persisted. President Trump expressed confidence in his ability to reinstate peace, planning Thursday phone discussions with both nations’ leaders.
The border dispute originates from competing territorial claims based on a 1907 French colonial-era map and was exacerbated by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that granted Cambodia sovereignty over the temple area, a decision that remains contentious in Thailand.