• Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian military targets along their long-disputed border, escalating tensions between the Southeast Asian neighbors. Thailand also accused Cambodia of launching rockets into civilian areas. Thailand’s health ministry said that at least 12 people, including 11 civilians and one soldier, have been killed in clashes with Cambodian troops.

• The strikes came a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg to a landmine on the border, prompting a downgrade of diplomatic ties by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh as relations collapse to their lowest level in years.

• Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended this month and could face dismissal after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen, in which she appeared to criticize her army’s actions in the dispute.

• Thailand and Cambodia have a relationship of both cooperation and rivalry. They share a 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border — largely mapped by France when it ruled Cambodia — that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions.

At least 11 people have been killed in deadly clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border between both countries’ troops and involving heavy weapons, rockets and fighter jets on Thursday.

The outbreak of fighting between the South Asian neighbours follows weeks of tensions which have been brewing since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in an armed confrontation on the border. In February, a dispute over Prasat Ta Moan Thon, a Khmer temple close to the border in Thailand, intensified when Thai police stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem at the contested site.

Shelling damaged hospitals and other civilian locations in Thailand during Thursday’s fighting, resulting in deaths and injuries, according to statements from the government. Thailand said it had retaliated with air attacks, but it is not yet clear if there have been casualties in Cambodia.

Each side blames the other for launching the first attack, as they have cut diplomatic relations with each other. Thailand said it had closed all border crossings with Cambodia.

Here’s what we know about the clashes so far:

What has happened and where?

Armed fighting broke out on Thursday morning near the disputed, ancient Prasat Ta Moan Thom Temple in Surin province, Thailand, very close to the border with Cambodia, where tensions have been running high in recent weeks.

It’s unclear yet who fired the first shot, with each side blaming the other.

The Thai military accused Cambodian soldiers of “provocation”.

Cambodian troops deployed a surveillance drone at 7:35am (00:35 GMT) before soldiers with rocket launchers approached a Thai military post, according to the Thai military. Thereafter, Cambodian forces opened fire towards the eastern side of the temple, 200 metres (650ft) from the Thai military base, and also targeted a local community with rockets, the Thai military said.

Deputy army spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters that air attacks were launched in response, including six F-16 fighter jets which attacked sites over the border in Cambodia and reportedly destroyed two military targets.

However, Cambodian defence officials denied that their troops fired first and said the country only responded after Thai troops launched an “armed assault on Cambodian forces”.

Spokeswoman Maly Socheata accused Thailand of violating Cambodia’s territorial integrity and said Cambodian troops “exercised their right to defend their sovereignty” after Thai fighter jets dropped two bombs on a road.

(Al Jazeera)

How many casualties have there been?

At least 11 people have been killed in Thailand – mostly civilians – the Ministry of Public Health said. An eight-year-old child was among the dead.

Six people were killed and 10 were wounded in one strike when a Cambodian rocket hit a busy gas station in Sisaket province, the Thai army said in a statement.

Three other deaths were recorded in Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces.

It is still unknown if there have been any casualties in Cambodia.

People rest at a shelter, following recent clashes along the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia, in Surin province, Thailand, on July 24, 2025 [Pansira Kaewplung/Reuters]

Why has fighting broken out?

Thai-Cambodia relations are at their worst in more than a decade.

The 818km (508-mile) border between the two countries has long been a source of tension and rivalry, as they both dispute demarcations drawn in 1907, during French colonial rule in Cambodia. There have been skirmishes before, but this is the first time fighter jets have been involved, marking a significant escalation.

The border areas are replete with centuries-old historical temples, some of which are claimed by both sides.

Although the establishment of a demilitarised zone has been discussed in the past, there are no formal zones in place now.

Troops from both sides clashed in 2011 near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, killing 15-20 people and causing the displacement of thousands.

Cambodia first took the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1963. In 2011, Cambodia again went to the ICJ in relation to the Preah Vihear Temple. The ICJ ruled in Cambodia’s favour and handed it control of the immediate area around the temple in 2013.

However, the court did not address any of the other disputed areas, especially those within the “Emerald Triangle”, a shared border region between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, where troops also frequently clash.

Thailand has refused to acknowledge the ICJ’s jurisdiction in this issue. Tensions have simmered until this year’s escalation.

“The whole situation has been spiralling downwards for weeks, with Cambodia laying landmines that injured Thai soldiers, and Bangkok’s expulsion of the Cambodian ambassador was apparently the last straw,” Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates Consultancy, told Al Jazeera.

“So now the question is really how long will both sides continue fighting, and how many civilians will get killed in the indiscriminate crossfire that is already apparent,” he added.

How have tensions escalated between Thailand and Cambodia this year?

On February 13, Cambodian soldiers escorted 25 civilians to the Prasat Ta Moan Thon Temple, where they reportedly sang the Cambodian national anthem. Thai military officials said they stopped the tourists from singing, on the basis that it violated mutual agreements about tourist protocols.

On February 17, the Thai army sent a warning letter to the Cambodian military, accusing it of “inappropriate behaviour” and instructing it not to repeat the incident of February 13. In a statement, the Thai Ministry of National Defence said the temple was officially in Thai territory and that while Cambodian citizens could visit, singing the country’s national anthem “raises concerns”.

On May 28, both sides clashed in the disputed border area of the Emerald Triangle, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead. The tri-border area connects Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. Again, each side blamed the other for starting the violence.

On June 12, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced that Cambodia would stop relying on Thai electricity and internet infrastructure due to “threats”. Cambodian TV stations stopped broadcasting Thai movies, and Cambodia also blocked imports of fuel and gas, as well as fruit and vegetables, from Thailand.

On June 14, officials from both countries met in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for talks. However, no concrete agreement for peace was reached. Both countries instead boosted border security and tightened checks at crossings.

On June 15, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is the country’s youngest premier at 38, held a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen and discussed the tensions. Hun Sen is the father of the current prime minister, Hun Manet.

On June 26, Thailand ordered operators to stop providing broadband and mobile internet connections to Cambodia.

On July 1, Shinawatra was suspended after her phone call with Hun Sen was leaked to the public. In it, Shinawatra appeared to criticise the Thai military’s actions, signalling discord between the government and the army. Pro-military protesters have since called for her resignation.

On July 16, a Thai soldier lost a leg in a landmine explosion while on patrol in First was in the Chong Bok area of Nam Zuen district, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, escalating tensions.

On July 23, a second blast injured five Thai soldiers near Chong An Ma point, in Ubon Ratchathani province, causing a second soldier to lose a leg. Thailand immediately recalled its ambassador to Cambodia and shut border checkpoints at Chong An Ma, Chong Sa-ngam, Chong Chom and Chong Sai Takoo. Ta Moan Thom and Ta Kwai temples were also closed.

On July 24, violence erupted between the two sides, involving heavy weapons and air attacks. Cambodia also recalled its diplomatic staff in Thailand.

Thailand’s Minister of Culture, Paetongtarn Shinawatra reacts after a cabinet meeting, after Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended her from duty as prime minister pending a case seeking her dismissal, at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 8, 2025 [Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters]

How do the military forces of Thailand and Cambodia compare?

Thailand

According to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, cited by Reuters, Thailand has a large military with more than 360,000 active armed forces personnel.

Its military is well-funded, with a defence budget of $5.7bn last year.

It has about 400 battle tanks, more than 1,200 armoured personnel carriers and some 2,600 artillery weapons.

It also has a fleet of aircraft, comprising passenger planes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Cambodia

The International Institute for Strategic Studies data shows that last year, Cambodia had a defence budget of $1.3bn and has at least 124,300 active military personnel.

Cambodia’s armed forces were established in 1993 following the merger of the country’s former communist military and two other resistance armies. Of these, the Cambodian army is the largest force, with some 75,000 soldiers.

It has more than 200 battle tanks and some 480 pieces of artillery.

What does each side say about the conflict?

Thailand’s acting premier, Phumtham Wechayachai, said in a statement on Thursday that the dispute was “delicate” and must be resolved according to international law.

Suspended Prime Minister Shinawatra – who is also the culture minister – condemned Cambodia, in a news briefing, for opening fire and accused the country of allowing the situation to escalate beyond diplomatic levels.

“We have always respected international protocols, but now Cambodia has forced our hand. We may have to take actions we have tried to avoid in the past,” she said.

For his part, Cambodia’s prime minister, Hun Manet, has urged an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to stop “Thailand’s aggression”. Manet said Thai forces launched “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks” on the Cambodian border, violating international law.

“Facing this flagrant aggression, Cambodian troops had no option but to respond in self-defence in order to safeguard Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Manet wrote in a letter to UNSC President Asin Iftikhar Ahmad.

“It is profoundly reprehensible that this act of aggression occurs while Cambodia is actively pursuing peaceful and impartial legal avenues to resolve outstanding border issues with Thailand through both bilateral and international mechanisms,” he added.

Both countries have closed borders and announced evacuations of their citizens from the border zones. The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh urged citizens to leave Cambodia.

What reactions have there been from other nations and international bodies?

The United States and China issued warnings to their citizens to be vigilant in the border areas.

The US embassy in Thailand urged Americans to heed advice from Thai authorities, who commenced evacuation from the worst-hit areas on Thursday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that China is “deeply concerned” about escalating tensions between its neighbours, and stressed the importance of “maintaining friendly relations” with “long-term interests on both sides”.

China will “continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and dialogue to help ease tensions”, the spokesperson said.

Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia and current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he would engage both sides in negotiations.

“I have sent messages to both prime ministers and look forward to speaking with them later today or tonight,” he told reporters.

“The least we can expect is for them to stand down and hopefully try to enter into negotiation,” Ibrahim said, calling the situation “worrying” and describing Thailand and Cambodia as key ASEAN members.

Will this situation escalate further?

Robertson of AHRLA said the situation would likely “get worse before it gets better”.

Bad blood between Cambodian PM Hun Sen and former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, respectively the fathers of both countries’ current leaders, could add to the political will to continue fighting, Robertson said.

Although Thaksin and Hun Sen were longtime allies, Robertson said Hun Sen’s leaking of the recording of the damaging phone call between him and Thaksin’s daughter, suspended PM Shinawatra, means “the gloves are now off between the two sides.

“Right now, neither side wants to be seen as conceding any ground to the other, so the fighting is likely to continue for some time, primarily in the form of firing across the border with artillery and firefights across the border in disputed areas,” he said.

Robertson added: “We’re not going to see either side invade the other, but the damage will be lasting and it’s hard to see how this will be mediated towards peace, at least in the short-to-medium term.”

Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia broke out on Thursday claiming the lives at least nine civilians in Thailand, as long-standing tensions in disputed border areas flare up.

Clashes started early on Thursday morning close to the historic Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple, which is situated along the border between Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia and the Surin province in Thailand.

The entire border between the two nations has since been sealed off.

Additional fights were reported along the border between Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province and Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, as well as close to the Prasat Ta Krabey site.

Both sides are accusing the other of starting the clash on Thursday, but why are they fighting in the first place?

Why are Cambodia and Thailand fighting?

The neighbouring countries have traditionally experienced sporadic hostilities due to border issues. The land border between Thailand and Cambodia is more than 800 kilometres long.

The French colonial rulers’ 1907 map, which was used to divide Cambodia from Thailand, is the root cause of the tensions. Thailand has claimed the map is erroneous, while Cambodia has been using it as a reference to assert territorial claims.

The most prominent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple. Cambodia was granted authority over the ancient temple by the International Court of Justice in 1962.

After multiple clashes between its army and Thai forces, which left thousands displaced and approximately 20 dead over the area, Cambodia returned to the court in 2011. In 2013, the court maintained its decision, which shocked Thailand.

Brief timeline of Cambodia-Thailand conflict 1907 – The border disputes date back to a map made in 1907, when Cambodia was a French colony. The map served as the foundation for Cambodia’s claims to specific areas of the border, but Thailand disputed it due to its lack of clarity, which resulted in differing interpretations. 1962 – Cambodia was granted authority over the ancient temple by the International Court of Justice in 1962. 2008-11 – Military fighting goes on continuously over a jungle border area. Each side blamed the other for starting and prolonging the fighting. A ceasefire was declared in 2011 after heavy seven days of fighting, which killed at least 15 people and displaced tens of thousands of civilians. May 28, 2025 – The border dispute reignites and a Cambodian soldier is killed. June 15, 2025 – Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has a phone call with Hun Sen, the de facto leader of Cambodia. The purpose of the call was to ease tensions between the two nations. July 23, 2025 – In a land mine explosion, a Thai soldier lost his right leg. Thailand said that it would recall its ambassador to Cambodia and dismiss Cambodia’s ambassador, thereby downgrading diplomatic ties with Cambodia.

The conflict escalated in May of this year when the military forces of Thailand and Cambodia exchanged brief gunfire in a small area that both nations claim as their own, killing one Cambodian soldier.

Both parties have said that their actions were self-defence.

Despite later claims that they had reached an agreement to defuse the situation, authorities from Thailand and Cambodia kept tensions high by threatening or implementing non-armed force measures against one another. Thailand tightened border controls, preventing Thai casino employees and visitors from entering Cambodia and limiting crossing times. Meanwhile, Cambodia prohibited Thai films and television series, halted Thai produce imports, and boycotted its neighbour’s power supplies and worldwide internet connections.

Cambodian soldiers look on as people evacuate from along the Cambodia-Thailand border after Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire (AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, tensions skyrocketed when Thailand accused Cambodia of placing fresh landmines in disputed territory. The accusation was made after a Thai soldier suffered his second limb loss in a week due to a landmine explosion.

Bangkok subsequently declared late on Wednesday that Cambodia’s envoy had been expelled and withdrew its ambassador from Phnom Penh.

But by Thursday morning, the conflict heightened when the Thai military used air power. Its six F-16 fighter jets, which were positioned close to the border, attacked and destroyed what Thai officials said was a military target in Cambodia.

Colonel Richa Suksuwanon, deputy spokesperson for the Thai army, said. “We have used air power against military targets as planned.”

Hun Manet, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, asserted that Thailand had repeatedly targeted Cambodian military installations.

Mr Hun said: “Cambodia has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems, but in this case, we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.”

Thailand has closed its entire border with Cambodia and urged all its nationals to leave the country, after violent clashes between the two nations left nine people dead.

Clashes began early on Thursday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple along the eastern border between Cambodia and Thailand, around 360 km from the Thai capital Bangkok.

“Artillery shell fell on people’s homes,” Sutthirot Charoenthanasak, district chief of Kabcheing in Surin province said, describing the firing by the Cambodian side.

It comes as the latest escalation between the countries that dates back more than a century when the two South East nations drew their border after France’s occupation of Cambodia ended.

Clashes have been sporadic over the years, but the latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash.

At least nine civilians in Thailand have been killed and 14 people have been wounded, including a five-year-old child. Cambodia has not released any information on casualties or injuries.

Of the six F-16 fighter jets that Thailand readied to deploy along the disputed border, one of the aircraft fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target, the Thai army said.

Both countries accused each other of starting the clash early on Thursday.

A Cambodian BM-21 multiple rocket launcher returns from the Cambodia-Thai border (AFP via Getty Images)

“We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters.

Cambodia’s defence ministry said the jets dropped two bombs on a road, and that it “strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia”.

The skirmishes came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia late on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia’s envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently in the disputed area.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said Cambodian troops fired “heavy artillery” on a Thai military base on Thursday morning and also targeted civilian areas including a hospital, leading to civilian casualties.

“The Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand’s sovereignty,” the ministry said in a statement.

Thai residents including children and the elderly ran to shelters built of concrete and fortified with sandbags and car tires in the Surin border province.

Cambodian soldiers reload the BM-21 multiple rocket launcher in Preah Vihear province (AFP via Getty Images)

“How many rounds have been fired? It’s countless,” an unidentified woman told the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) while hiding in the shelter as gunfire and explosions were heard intermittently in the background.

Cambodia’s foreign ministry said Thailand’s air strikes were “unprovoked” and called on its neighbour to withdraw its forces and “refrain from any further provocative actions that could escalate the situation”. For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, which has led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011.

Tensions were reignited in May following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, which escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis and now has triggered armed clashes.

A man walks past the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok (AFP via Getty Images)

“Two people have died,” he said, adding that district authorities had evacuated 40,000 civilians from 86 villages near the border to safer locations.

Thailand’s military said Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending troops with heavy weapons to an area near the temple.

Cambodian troops opened fire and two Thai soldiers were wounded, a Thai army spokesperson said, adding Cambodia had used multiple weapons, including rocket launchers.

A spokesperson for Cambodia’s defence ministry, however, said there had been an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops and Cambodian forces had responded in self-defence.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the situation was delicate.

“We have to be careful,” he told reporters. “We will follow international law.”

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have deteriorated over the past week, with the two countries exchanging fire across several disputed border zones on Thursday, 24 July.

The clashes have left at least nine Thai civilians dead and 14 injured, with 40,000 evacuated from dozens of villages situated near the border. Cambodia has not released any information on casualties or injuries.

Tensions have run high between the two countries since a soldier was killed during gunfire in a disputed border area in late May, only to escalate again earlier this week after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying landmines in a disputed territory.

Both countries attract large numbers of tourists each year, with Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple complex and its capital Phnom Penh major draws, while Thailand sees many visitors in cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, along with islands such as Phuket and Koh Samui.

While these hotspots are not located near the border clashes, tourists should be aware of the closure of the crossings between the two countries as tensions escalate.

Read more: Thailand-Cambodia border clash latest

Where have clashes occurred?

Gunfire began early on Thursday morning near the ancient Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple, found along the border between Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey. Both sides accused the other of firing the first shots, initiating the attack.

Further clashes were reported near the Prasat Ta Krabey site and along the border separating Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani.

Footage in Thailand showed civilians fleeing explosions and seeking shelter in concrete bunkers.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet claimed Thailand had targeted Cambodian military positions in multiple places. One of Thailand’s six F-16 fighter jets launched an attack, destroying what Thai officials described as a Cambodian military target.

Has the shared border closed?

Thailand has ordered the closure of all the crossings along its 817km border shared with Cambodia, areas of which are undemarcated.

What is the UK government’s advice?

In its travel advice for Cambodia, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the border’s closure.

“Land borders/crossings between Cambodia and Thailand are temporarily suspended,” it wrote in an update on Thursday. “The line of the international border near the Preah Vihear temple (‘Khaoi Pra Viharn’ in Thai) has been in dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, with occasional clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops.

“There have also been disputes over control of the Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, which are close to the Cambodia-Thailand border.

“Take extra care when travelling in this area, and follow the instructions of the local authorities.”

The FCDO travel advice for Thailand says the same about the border crossing, but adds: “Take extra care and stay alert in border areas and follow the instructions of local authorities, especially at tourist destinations such as the Preah Vihear temple, the Ta Kwai temple and the Ta Muen Thom temple.

“There are also unexploded landmines in the border area. Stay on marked paths, especially around Ta Krabey.”

Separately, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border, including the Pattani Province, Yala Province, Narathiwat Province and southern Songkhla Province – south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and south of the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Padang Besar.

FCDO also advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces.

Can I cancel my holiday?

As the FCDO has not warned against non-essential travel to Thailand or Cambodia, there will be no special circumstances in place to be able to cancel a trip for a full refund.

The conditions for cancelling your trip will be dependent on your holiday provider, so it’s best to contact them if you’re looking to postpone.

There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings if you want to cancel, and you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance due to safety concerns unless government advice changes.

Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.

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