Escalating Thailand-Cambodia Border Conflict: Airstrikes, Artillery and Diplomatic Tensions

Surin:

Cambodia reported that Thailand conducted additional airstrikes on Thursday, as intense fighting erupted along their shared border. Both nations accused each other of territorial violations in the disputed border region.

The current round of major hostilities began with a Sunday skirmish that left two Thai soldiers wounded, effectively collapsing a ceasefire that had been advocated by U.S. President Donald Trump. That agreement had previously ended five days of combat in July over long-standing territorial disputes.

Approximately two dozen fatalities have been reported in this week's fighting, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced on both sides of the border.

The Cambodian Defense Ministry issued a statement Thursday indicating that a Thai military jet dropped three bombs in the border area. Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata claimed Thailand had violated international law through the use of "all kinds of heavy weapons and the deployment of large number of troops to encroach the Cambodian territory."

Prior to this, the Thai Army reported that Cambodia had launched an attack Wednesday night using artillery and mortars against Thai positions.

The Thai Army stated it responded with similar heavy weaponry, causing damage including "the destruction of enemy trucks." However, Air Force Spokesperson Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai neither confirmed nor denied Thursday's airstrikes.

He declared in a televised address that the Thai air force would "continue its air operations until the opposing side ceases all efforts that threaten Thailand's sovereignty, security, and the safety of the Thai people."

The conflict has generated international concern, including from Pope Leo XIV, who told a Vatican audience on Wednesday that he was "deeply saddened by the news of the renewed conflict."

"There have been casualties, including among civilians, and thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes," Leo stated. "I express my closeness in prayer to these dear peoples."

The original July ceasefire was mediated by Malaysia and advanced through pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia reached an agreement. The deal was formalized with greater detail in October during a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

Despite the agreement, both countries continued a bitter propaganda campaign while minor cross-border violence persisted. Cambodia complained that Thailand refused to return 18 captured soldiers as the ceasefire took effect, while Thailand protested after border patrol soldiers were injured by landmines allegedly newly placed by Cambodia. Cambodia maintained that these mines were remnants from its decades-long civil war that ended in 1999.

Trump indicated he expected to speak with both leaders by phone on Thursday, expressing confidence in his ability to persuade them to halt the fighting.

"I think I can get them to stop fighting. Who else can do that?" Trump remarked to reporters on Wednesday, while reiterating his exaggerated claim of resolving eight global conflicts since returning to the White House. "Every once in a while, one will flame up again and I have to put out that little flame."

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters in Bangkok on Thursday that the U.S. had not yet contacted Thailand following Trump's latest statements.

Reflecting nationalist public sentiment, Anutin has repeatedly vowed to continue fighting until Thailand's sovereignty and security are assured.

Thailand has deployed fighter jets to conduct airstrikes on what it describes as military targets. Cambodia has utilized BM-21 rocket launchers with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles).

According to data collected by public broadcaster ThaiPBS, at least six Thai soldiers were killed by rocket shrapnel.

The Thai army's northeastern regional command reported Thursday that residential areas and homes near the border suffered damage from BM-21 rocket attacks by Cambodian forces.

The Thai army also reported destroying a tall crane on a hill controlled by Cambodia where the centuries-old Preah Vihear temple is located, claiming it housed electronic and optical devices used for military command and control.

Thailand's military announced Thursday that nine of its soldiers have been killed since Monday. Officials reported four civilian deaths, though not directly from combat; these individuals had underlying health conditions and most died during evacuation. The military also reported more than 120 wounded troops.

Cambodia reported Thursday that 11 civilians on its side have died and 74 others have been wounded.

UNESCO, the UN's cultural agency, expressed "strong concern" on Wednesday regarding fighting near the Preah Vihear temple, which it has designated a World Heritage site.

"UNESCO stands ready to provide the necessary technical assistance to ensure the protection of cultural property and implement any necessary safeguarding measures as soon as conditions allow," the organization stated.

The fundamental causes of the Thai-Cambodian border dispute lie in a history of animosity over competing territorial claims. These disputes largely originate from a 1907 map created during Cambodia's French colonial period, which Thailand considers inaccurate. Tensions were heightened by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that granted sovereignty to Cambodia, a decision that continues to provoke resentment among many Thais.