1 week ago
The Thailand-Cambodia border region has become the site of a deadly clash between the two Southeast Asian neighbours over a simmering territorial dispute, leaving over 10 civilians and soldiers dead.
Cambodian soldiers reload the BM-21 multiple rocket launcher in Preah Vihear province
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 24, 2025 13:19 IST
Last year, Thailand and Cambodia opened a permanent border checkpoint at the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge, turning a new leaf in their "love-hate" relationship over the years. A year later, the border region has become the site of a deadly clash between the two Southeast Asian neighbours over a simmering territorial dispute, leaving over 10 civilians and several soldiers dead.
While the dispute itself dates back to more than a century (explained later), tensions ratcheted up in May after a Cambodian soldier was allegedly killed during a scuffle with Thai troops in the Emerald Triangle - a disputed border area on which both Thailand and Cambodia have laid claims.
It followed a series of sharp exchanges, with both sides accusing each other of being the aggressor. Hun Sen, who calls the shots in Cambodia despite relinquishing the prime ministerial post to his son in 2023, also raised the war bogey.
"We hate war, but we are compelled to wage it when facing foreign aggression," Hun Sen said.
WHAT TRIGERRED THE CLASHES?
The warmongering saw both nations ramping up troops near the border in June, but matters mellowed out soon. Despite the de-escalation, tit-for-tat measures by both nations continued, like banning exports and Thailand threatening to cut off electricity to Cambodia.
Matters came to a head in July after five Thai soldiers suffered critical injuries in a landmine blast that it blamed on Cambodia. Cambodia called the claims baseless, asserting that the mines were remnants of past wars.
It plunged bilateral ties between the two nations to their lowest point in more than a decade, as Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and close all border crossings. Cambodia retaliated by evacuating its embassy in Bangkok and downgrading diplomatic ties.
F-16 JETS DEPLOYED, ROCKETS FIRED
The conflict escalated dramatically on Thursday as the soldiers of both nations exchanged fire near the border provinces of Surin and Oddar Meanchey. Si Sa Ket province in Thailand was the worst hit, after shots fired at a gas station killed six civilians.
- Ends
Published By:
Abhishek De
Published On:
Jul 24, 2025
