Phnom Penh/Bangkok (Agencies) July 26, 2025 — Heavy artillery exchanges, rocket barrages and airstrikes along the undemarcated 800-kilometer frontier have triggered the bloodiest confrontation between Thailand and Cambodia since 2011. Since July 24, both armies have traded fire near the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan Thom temple complexes, leaving at least 16 civilians dead and tens of thousands displaced.
Thailand’s F-16 fighter jets struck Cambodian outposts, while Phnom Penh’s forces retaliated with BM-21 “Hailstorm” rocket salvos into Thai border villages. Thai authorities report 15 fatalities (14 civilians, one soldier) and 46 wounded; Cambodia confirms one civilian killed and five injured. More than 138,000 residents have been evacuated from Thailand’s northeastern provinces, and roughly 20,000 Cambodians have fled their homes near Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear.
The flare-up follows two landmine incidents on July 16 and July 23 that injured Thai soldiers. Bangkok subsequently expelled Cambodia’s ambassador and recalled its own envoy on July 24. Phnom Penh downgraded diplomatic relations to their lowest level, leaving only a chargé d’affaires in place.
Colonial-era maps drawn by France between 1904 and 1907 left key stretches of the border undefined. The 1962 International Court of Justice ruling awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, yet surrounding lands remained disputed. Renewed tensions in 2008—when UNESCO inscribed the temple as a World Heritage Site—sparked artillery skirmishes lasting until 2011.
Thailand fields over 360,000 active personnel, more than 100 combat aircraft including F-16s, roughly 1,500 artillery pieces and 400 main battle tanks. Cambodia’s military of 125,000 members operates about 20 fighter jets, 300 artillery systems (including BM-21s) and 200 tanks. Both sides have also deployed attack helicopters and drones along the frontier.
The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting at Cambodia’s request, while ASEAN chair Malaysia and China have called for an immediate ceasefire and diplomatic dialogue. The United States urged both capitals to protect civilians and restore calm.
Analysts warn that without third-party mediation or clear border demarcation, clashes could settle into a protracted stalemate of low-intensity engagements. Alternatively, greater involvement by external powers—through military advisers, sanctions or peacekeeping missions—could either contain or inadvertently widen the conflict’s scope.