WEB DESK: Thailand has carried out airstrikes along its contested border with Cambodia, according to the Thai military on Monday. This follows mutual accusations from both nations of violating a ceasefire agreement brokered earlier by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The renewed clashes in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province have resulted in the death of at least one Thai soldier and injuries to four others, as stated by the Thai military. The conflict escalated after Thai forces reportedly came under fire from Cambodia.
The Thai military confirmed it has initiated airstrikes, targeting multiple military positions. Meanwhile, Cambodia’s defense ministry claimed that Thai troops launched attacks at dawn on two of its positions, following what they described as a series of provocative actions. However, Cambodian officials stated their forces had refrained from retaliating.
The Thai side further alleged that Cambodian forces fired BM-21 rockets into civilian areas in Thailand, though no casualties were reported from these incidents.
The border dispute had previously flared in July, culminating in a five-day conflict that left 48 people dead and around 300,000 displaced as both sides exchanged heavy artillery fire. A ceasefire agreement, facilitated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Donald Trump, had temporarily eased tensions, with the deal formally signed in Kuala Lumpur in October.
Tensions reignited after Thailand halted the ceasefire’s implementation due to a landmine explosion last month that severely injured one of its soldiers.
Hun Sen, Cambodia’s influential former leader and father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet, condemned Thailand’s actions, labeling them as provocations. He urged Cambodian forces to exercise restraint and avoid retaliation. In a Facebook post, Hun Sen emphasized the importance of disciplined responses but did not specify what measures would be taken.
In response to the escalating violence, Thailand has begun evacuating over 385,000 civilians from four border districts, sheltering more than 35,000 in temporary camps, according to the military.
This border dispute dates back more than a century when France, as Cambodia’s colonial ruler in 1907, first mapped the region. Despite numerous efforts to resolve overlapping territorial claims, the area remains a flashpoint for tensions, occasionally erupting into violent confrontations like the weeklong artillery clashes in 2011.
