Thailand and Cambodia engaged in airstrikes along their disputed border on Monday, escalating tensions as both nations accused the other of firing first. The incident comes just weeks after a US-brokered ceasefire followed five days of clashes in July that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians.
Thai army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree claimed Cambodian troops fired first in multiple areas of Thai territory, killing one soldier and wounding four others. He said civilians were being evacuated for safety. “We used aircraft to strike military targets in several areas to suppress Cambodian supporting fire attacks,” Suvaree added.
Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata, however, insisted that Thailand launched the first attack. She said Cambodia did not retaliate during the initial strikes Monday. “Cambodia urges Thailand to immediately stop all hostile activities that threaten peace and stability in the region,” she said.
Schools along the border were closed as a precaution, with videos showing children fleeing classes to their parents. On Sunday, a brief exchange of fire occurred, with both sides claiming the other initiated it.
The border dispute has deep historical roots, dating back centuries when the two countries were warring empires. Modern claims largely trace to a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule, which Thailand disputes. The International Court of Justice awarded Cambodia sovereignty over the area containing the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple in 1962, a decision still contested by some in Thailand.
Despite the ceasefire, neither side has agreed on a permanent resolution to the territorial disagreements, leaving the border region vulnerable to renewed clashes.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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