Artillery fire and gunshots were reported near several villages along the border, widening the conflict that reignited on Thursday after a land mine explosion injured five Thai soldiers. Officials from both countries have claimed they were acting in retaliation for attacks initiated by the other side

Evacuees displaced by the ongoing conflict rest at a makeshift evacuation centre inside a Buddhist temple in Thailand. PIC/AFP

Thailand and Cambodia exchanged fresh accusations on Saturday as the ongoing deadly clashes between the two borders spilled into a third consecutive day, claiming at least 33 lives and displacing more than 1.68 lakh people, news agency AP reported. The escalating violence has triggered mounting international calls for a ceasefire, with pressure intensifying on both the countries to reach a peaceful resolution.

Artillery fire and gunshots were reported near several villages along the border, widening the conflict that reignited on Thursday after a land mine explosion injured five Thai soldiers. Officials from both countries have claimed they were acting in retaliation for attacks initiated by the other side.

As tensions soared, both the two neighbours recalled their ambassadors, and Thailand announced the closure of its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, AP reported.

On Saturday, Cambodia reported 12 more deaths, taking the toll to 13, while Thai officials confirmed the death of one soldier, following which the country’s casualties in border clashes went up to 20. Most of those killed in Thailand were civilians.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is under growing scrutiny, with pressure mounting on the regional bloc to step in. During an emergency session on Friday, members of the UN Security Council called for immediate de-escalation and urged ASEAN to mediate a peaceful settlement, reported AP.

The 800-kilometre (500-mile) border between Thailand and Cambodia has long been contested, though previous incidents have typically been limited and short-lived. The latest flare-up dates back to May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a confrontation that sparked diplomatic tensions and stirred unrest in Thai domestic politics.

Fresh attacks and rising tensions

Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence accused Thailand of expanding its offensive early on Saturday, alleging that five heavy artillery shells had struck various locations in Pursat province. The Ministry condemned the strikes as “an unprovoked and premeditated act of aggression.”

Ministry spokesperson Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said tensions had also flared in Koh Kong province, where four Thai naval vessels were reportedly stationed offshore, with four more en route. She described the naval presence as “an act of aggression” and warned it risked further escalation.

According to Socheata, seven civilians and five Cambodian soldiers had been killed in two days of violence. Earlier reports stated that a man sheltering under a pagoda was killed when it was struck by Thai rockets.

Thailand’s military denied deliberately targeting civilian areas, accusing Cambodian forces of placing weapons in residential zones and using “human shields”.

Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Navy, in a statement on Saturday, alleged that Cambodian troops had initiated a new assault in Trat province. “Thai forces responded swiftly and successfully pushed back the Cambodian incursion at three key points,” it said, warning that “aggression will not be tolerated.”

Thai authorities also claimed that several Cambodian artillery shells had landed across the border in Laos, causing damage to homes and property. Lao officials have not yet commented publicly.

The ongoing conflict has led to large-scale displacement. Cambodia’s Information Minister, Neth Pheaktra, reported that 10,865 Cambodian families — approximately 37,635 people — had fled their homes in three provinces. Thai officials said more than 131,000 people had been displaced from their border villages.

Calls to protect civilians amid cluster bomb allegations

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the UN Security Council and the governments concerned to demand that both Thailand and Cambodia comply with international humanitarian law and prioritise civilian safety. The rights group said children had been injured in the violence and noted that at least 852 schools and seven hospitals had been shut by Thai authorities for safety reasons.

Both the countries have employed rocket and artillery fire. Although Thai officials initially denied Cambodian claims that cluster munitions — banned under international law — were being used, a military spokesperson on Friday said such weapons could be deployed “when necessary” against military targets. HRW condemned their use in populated areas.

Neither Thailand nor Cambodia is a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use of such weaponry. Thailand has previously employed them in a 2011 border conflict with Cambodia that resulted in 20 deaths.

“Neither Thailand nor Cambodia appears to be paying attention to international humanitarian law, at great expense to civilians,” said John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch. “Diplomatic efforts underway need to prioritise protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Thai authorities have also acknowledged deploying F-16 fighter jets and drones in air strikes.

UN urges ASEAN to step in

Although the UN Security Council did not adopt a formal resolution during Friday’s emergency session, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa stated that all 15 member nations called on both parties to show restraint, halt further attacks, and pursue a peaceful settlement. The Council also backed ASEAN’s involvement as mediator.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country currently chairs ASEAN, earlier announced that both Thailand and Cambodia were “open in principle” to his ceasefire proposal. Malaysian media reported that Anwar had tasked the foreign minister with mediating peace talks to halt the hostilities.

On Saturday, Foreign Minister Maris said Thailand agreed in principle to the proposal, but insisted that Cambodia “must first demonstrate sincerity and stop the attacks.” He added that Thailand would continue to engage constructively with Malaysia.

“Thailand reaffirms its commitment to resolving the conflict peacefully and in accordance with international law,” Maris said, urging Cambodia to “return to the negotiating table with sincerity and in good faith.”

(With AP inputs)

Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worst fighting in over a decade, exchanging heavy artillery fire across their disputed border, with at least 16 people killed and tens of thousands displaced.

Tensions began rising between the Southeast Asian neighbours in May, following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, and have steadily escalated since, triggering diplomatic spats and now, armed clashes.

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What is the current situation?

Clashes broke out between the two countries early on Thursday along a disputed area abutting an ancient temple, rapidly spilling over to other areas along the contested frontier and heavy artillery exchanges continuing for a second straight day.

Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh on Wednesday and expelled Cambodia’s envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia called that accusation baseless.

Damage from a fire caused by Cambodian artillery at a 7-11 convenience store in the Thai border province of Sisaket province. Photo: AFP via Getty

Both sides accuse each other of firing the first shots that started the conflict on Thursday, which have so far claimed the lives of at least 15 civilians, most of them on the Thai side.

Cambodia has deployed truck-mounted rocket launchers, which Thailand says have been used to target civilian areas, while the Thai armed forces despatched US-made F-16 fighter jets, using one to bomb military targets across the border.

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Some 130,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in Thailand to safer locations, while some 12,000 families on the Cambodian side have been shifted away from the frontlines, according to local authorities.

Where does the dispute originate?

Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817km land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.

That map, which Thailand later contested, was based on an agreement that the border would be demarcated along the natural watershed line between the two countries.

In 2000, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Boundary Commission to peacefully address overlapping claims, but little progress has been made towards settling disputes.

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Claims over ownership of historical sites have raised nationalist tension between the two countries, notably in 2003 when rioters torched the Thai embassy and Thai businesses in Phnom Penh over an alleged remark by a Thai celebrity questioning jurisdiction over Cambodia’s World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat temple.

What were the previous flashpoints?

An 11th century Hindu temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, has been at the heart of the dispute for decades, with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh claiming historical ownership.

The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand has continued to lay claim to the surrounding land.

Smoke is pictured in the air as a multi-rocket launcher is fired near the Cambodia-Thailand border. Photo: AFP via Getty

Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list the Preah Vihear temple as a Unesco World Heritage site, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011.

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Two years later, Cambodia sought interpretation of the 1962 verdict and the ICJ again ruled in its favour, saying the land around the temple was also part of Cambodia and ordering Thai troops to withdraw.

What’s behind recent troubles?

Despite the historic rivalry, the current governments of Thailand and Cambodia enjoy warm ties, partly due to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand’s Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia’s Hun Sen.

But nationalist sentiment has risen in Thailand after conservatives last year questioned the government’s plan to negotiate with Cambodia to jointly explore energy resources in undemarcated maritime areas, warning such a move could risk Thailand losing the island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand.

Tensions also rose in February when a group of Cambodians escorted by troops sang their national anthem at another ancient Hindu temple that both countries claim, Ta Moan Thom, before being stopped by Thai soldiers.

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An effort by then Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter, to de-escalate the situation in a call last month with Hun Sen spectacularly backfired after a recording of the conversation was initially leaked and later released in full by the Cambodian leader.

Thailand’s suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Photo: AFP via Getty

In the call, the 38-year-old prime minister appeared to criticise a Thai army commander and kowtow to Hun Sen, drawing public fury and a complaint from a group of senators, which led to her suspension by a court order on July 1st.

Have there been any resolution efforts?

After the May 28th clash, both countries quickly promised to ease tension, prevent more conflict and seek dialogue via their joint border commission at a June 14th meeting.

The neighbours have issued diplomatically worded statements committing to peace while vowing to protect sovereignty, but their militaries have been mobilising near the border.

World Thailand and Cambodia trade accusations as deadly… Read More

Cambodia, meanwhile, said existing mechanisms were not working and it planned to refer disputes in four border areas to the ICJ to settle “unresolved and sensitive” issues that it said could escalate tensions.

Thailand has not recognised the ICJ’s rulings on the row and wants to settle it bilaterally.

Since Thursday’s clashes, Cambodia has written to the United Nations Security Council, urging the body to convene a meeting to stop what it describes as “unprovoked and premeditated military aggression” by Thailand.

Thailand, on the other hand, wants to resolve the conflict through bilateral negotiations but says talks can only take place after Cambodia ceases violence.

China has dismissed allegations that it was supplying weapons to Cambodia amid its ongoing border conflict with Thailand that has led to at least 33 people dying and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Chinese officials denied supplying any new weapons or military support to the Cambodian Armed Forces amid the conflict, which has spilled into its third day.

Senior Col Sheng Wei, deputy director of the Asia division of the Office of International Military Cooperation (OIMC) of China’s People Liberation Army said all the Chinese military equipment currently possessed by Cambodia are “the result of historical cooperation projects”.

“Since tensions began along the Thailand-Cambodia border, China has not provided any military equipment to Cambodia for use against Thailand…Please do not believe fake news generated by malicious actors,” Col Sheng Wei said, according to The Straits Times.

The conflict began on Thursday, with the two nations trading air strikes along contested stretches of their 817km border.

Over a dozen people were killed on the first day of conflict, prompting hundreds of thousands to evacuate from border areas between the two nations.

Thailand reported clashes in multiple areas along the border on Friday, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, which is claimed by both nations.

The Thai Army accused Cambodian forces of using heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting them to engage in what they called “appropriate supporting fire” in return.

Thailand’s UN Ambassador Cherdchai Chaivaivid called Cambodia’s actions a “flagrant act of aggression” and a “serious” breach of international law.

“Thailand further strongly condemns Cambodia’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians, civilian objects, and public facilities, particularly hospitals, which constitute a flagrant violation of the Geneva Conventions of 1949,” the Thai UN Ambassador said.

Thailand also blamed Cambodia for laying new landmines – one of which injured a Thai soldier, and called for quick military response.

Cambodia, on the other hand, accused Thailand of launching air strikes and dropping bombs on roads inside its territory.

It expressed outrage at Thailand’s use of what it claimed was a large amount of cluster munitions, labelling it a violation of international law.

Both sides claim to have acted in self-defence.

Cambodia also said it sought a “peaceful solution to the dispute”.

Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters that the country “asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally”.

He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand, asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size.

Cambodia has a defence budget of $1.3bn in 2024 with 124,300 active military personnel, compared to Thailand’s well-funded military that has a defence budget of $5.73bn in 2024 and over 360,000 active army personnel.

The conflict has entered its third day on Satuday, with the death toll climbing to 33 and tens of thousands seeking refuge.

Amid speculations of China providing weapons to the Cambodian army, a Chinese delegation meeting Thai officials in Beijing requested that its clarification be communicated to the Thai public in the interest of regional stability and trust.

The delegation said the Chinese weapons in the Cambodian armoury are from past military cooperation agreements, adding that no new military support has been provided.

International pressure is mounting on both sides to reach a ceasefire.

Artillery fire and gunshots were reported near several border villages, expanding the area of the fighting that flared again Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers.

Cambodians sit on a tractor cart as they take refuge in Batthkoa primary school in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia (Heng Sinith/AP)

Cambodian and Thai officials claimed to have acted in retaliation.

Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its north-eastern border crossings with Cambodia.

Cambodian authorities reported 12 new deaths on Saturday, bringing its toll to 13, while Thai officials said a soldier was killed, raising the deaths to 20, mostly civilians.

The regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is under growing pressure to defuse the situation between its two members.

During an emergency meeting on Friday, members of the UN Security Council called for de-escalation and urged ASEAN to mediate a peaceful solution.

The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief.

The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s domestic politics.

Cambodia’s Defence Ministry condemned what it said was an expanded Thai offensive early on Saturday after five heavy artillery shells were fired into multiple locations in the province of Pursat, calling the attack an “unprovoked and premeditated act of aggression”.

Thai residents who fled homes following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers line up for food at an evacuation centre in Surin province, Thailand (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

Ministry spokeswoman Lieutenant general Maly Socheata said tensions flared in the province of Koh Kong, where four Thai naval vessels were reportedly stationed offshore and four others en route.

She said the naval deployment was an “act of aggression” that risked further escalation.

Lt gen Socheata said seven civilians and five soldiers were killed in two days of fighting.

Earlier, one man was reported dead after a pagoda he was hiding under was hit by Thai rockets.

The Thai army had denied targeting Cambodian civilian sites and accused Phnom Penh of using “human shields” by positioning their weapons near residential areas.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s navy, in a statement on Saturday, accused Cambodian forces of initiating a new attack in the province of Trat, saying Thai forces responded swiftly and “successfully pushed back the Cambodian incursion at three key points”, warning that “aggression will not be tolerated”.

Thai authorities also alleged several Cambodian artillery shells had landed across the border in Laos, damaging homes and property.

Lao officials have not publicly responded to the claim.

The conflict has so far left thousands displaced.

Cambodia’s information minister Neth Pheaktra said on Saturday the clashes had forced 10,865 Cambodian families, or 37,635 people, in three border provinces to evacuate to safe locations, while Thai officials said more than 131,000 people had fled their border villages.

Thailand and Cambodia traded accusations Saturday of fresh attacks as deadly border clashes entered a third day, leaving at least 33 people dead and more than 168,000 displaced, as international pressure mounted on both sides to reach a ceasefire.

Artillery fire and gunshots were reported near several border villages, expanding the area of the fighting that flared again Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Cambodian and Thai officials claimed to have acted in retaliation.

Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia.

Cambodian authorities reported on Saturday 12 new deaths, bringing its toll to 13, while Thai officials said a soldier was killed, raising the deaths to 20, mostly civilians.

The regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is under growing pressure to defuse the situation between its two members. During an emergency meeting on Friday, members of the U.N. Security Council called for de-escalation and urged ASEAN to mediate a peaceful solution.

Thai residents who fled homes following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers line up for food at an evacuation center in Surin province, Thailand, Saturday, July 26, 2025. Sakchai Lalit / AP

The 500-mile frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s domestic politics.

Fresh attacks and rising tension

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry condemned what it said was an expanded Thai offensive early Saturday after five heavy artillery shells were fired into multiple locations in the province of Pursat, calling the attack an “unprovoked and premeditated act of aggression.”

Ministry spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, said tensions flared in the province of Koh Kong, where four Thai naval vessels were reportedly stationed offshore and four others en route. She said the naval deployment was an “act of aggression” that risked further escalation.

Maly Socheata said seven civilians and five soldiers were killed in two days of fighting. Earlier, one man was reported dead after a pagoda he was hiding under was hit by Thai rockets.

The Thai army had denied targeting Cambodian civilian sites and accused Phnom Penh of using “human shields” by positioning their weapons near residential areas.

Displaced Cambodians receive water at the Battkhao Resettlement Camp in Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia, Saturday, July 26, 2025. Anton L. Delgado / AP

Meanwhile, Thailand’s navy, in a statement Saturday, accused Cambodian forces of initiating a new attack in the province of Trat, saying Thai forces responded swiftly and “successfully pushed back the Cambodian incursion at three key points”, warning that “aggression will not be tolerated.”

Thai authorities also alleged several Cambodian artillery shells had landed across the border in Laos, damaging homes and property. Lao officials have not publicly responded to the claim.

The conflict has so far left thousands displaced.

Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said Saturday the clashes had forced 10,865 Cambodian families, or 37,635 people, in three border provinces to evacuate to safe locations, while Thai officials said more than 131,000 people had fled their border villages.

Call to protect civilians amid claim of cluster bomb use

Human Rights Watch urged the U.N. Security Council and concerned governments to press the Thai and Cambodian governments to abide by international humanitarian law and take all steps to protect civilians. Children have been harmed and Thai authorities have closed at least 852 schools and seven hospitals for safety reasons, the rights group said in a statement Saturday.

Both sides have employed rocket and artillery attacks, and after initially denying Cambodian claims that internationally prohibited cluster munitions were being used, a Thai military spokesperson in a statement Friday said that such weapons could be utilized “when necessary” to target military objectives. HRW condemned the use of cluster munitions in populated areas.

Neither Thailand nor Cambodia is party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the use of the weapon and Thai authorities had previously used them during a border dispute with Cambodia in February 2011 that left 20 people dead.

Cambodians sit on a tractor cart as they take refuge in Batthkoa primary school in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Saturday, July 26, 2025, as border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered its third day. Heng Sinith / AP

“Neither Thailand nor Cambodia appears to be paying attention to international humanitarian law at great expense to civilians,” John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. “Diplomatic efforts underway need to prioritize protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Thai officials also acknowledged the use of F-16 jets and drones to launch airstrikes.

UN urges ASEAN bloc to mediate

The U.N. Security Council didn’t issue a resolution on the crisis during its Friday emergency session, but Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said Saturday all 15 member countries called on both sides to exercise restraint, halt attacks, and resolve the dispute peacefully. They also supported ASEAN’s role in mediating between its two member states, he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country is the current ASEAN chair, had earlier said Thailand and Cambodia were open in principle to his ceasefire proposal. Malaysian media said Anwar has tasked the country’s foreign minister to mediate peace talks to halt the fighting.

Maris said Saturday his country agreed in principle to the proposal, but insisted that Cambodia must first show sincerity and cease hostilities, adding that Thailand would continue to engage constructively with Malaysia.

“Thailand reaffirms its commitment to resolving the conflict peacefully and in accordance with international law,” he said, urging Cambodia to “return to the negotiating table with sincerity and in good faith.”