Thailand carried out air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after new clashes erupted between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, marking the most serious breakdown of their U.S.-brokered ceasefire since October, according to military statements from both governments.
The renewed fighting—centered in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province—comes after weeks of rising tension and mutual accusations of ceasefire violations. The escalation has already triggered mass evacuations on the Thai side and revived fears of a broader conflict along a border that has seen repeated clashes over the past century.
Thailand’s military said its forces came under fire early Monday from Cambodian troops positioned near two contested areas, prompting the use of aircraft to “strike military targets in several locations.” One Thai soldier was killed and four were wounded in the exchange, the statement said.
Cambodia’s defense ministry accused Thailand of launching “dawn attacks” at two positions following what it described as days of Thai provocations. It said Cambodian troops did not return fire, insisting they remained under strict orders to show restraint.
Thai officials countered that Cambodian forces had earlier fired BM-21 rockets toward Thai civilian zones, though no local casualties were reported.
Thailand has begun evacuating more than 385,000 civilians across four border districts, with over 35,000 already moved into temporary shelters, according to its military.
Cambodia has not issued evacuation numbers but said its forces were prepared to “respond decisively” if attacks continue.
The rhetoric grew sharper after Cambodia’s former prime minister Hun Sen—father of current leader Hun Manet—publicly condemned Thailand.
He called Thai forces “aggressors seeking to provoke a retaliation” and instructed commanders to reinforce discipline among troops.
“The red line for responding has already been set,” Hun Sen wrote on Facebook, without offering further details.
The latest confrontation follows Thailand’s announcement last month that it was suspending implementation of the ceasefire agreement after a landmine blast maimed one of its soldiers near the border.
The ceasefire had been negotiated in July after a five-day conflict that killed at least 48 people and displaced an estimated 300,000 civilians. That deal was later expanded at a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and witnessed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed control of several undemarcated stretches of their 817-km (508-mile) border for more than a century. The frontier was originally mapped in 1907 during French colonial rule over Cambodia, and disagreements over interpretation have led to periodic flare-ups.
Major clashes in 2011 involved weeklong artillery exchanges, and attempts to resolve the disagreement through international courts and joint border committees have made only incremental progress.
With both sides accusing the other of violating the latest peace pact, regional observers expect international pressure—particularly from ASEAN members—to increase in the coming days.
Africa Digital News, New York
