Fighting along disputed Thai-Cambodian border enters second day
Clashes broke out at 4:30 a.m. local time on Friday after Cambodia initiated firing, using small arms and heavy weapons, Col. Richa Sooksuwanon, the deputy spokesperson for the Thai army, told CNN. The Thai army responded with artillery fire, he said.
The Thai army in the region also posted on Facebook in the following hours into Friday morning, warning that its forces were conducting bomb disposal operations and recovering bodies from the Kantharalak district that had been hit by Cambodian rockets on Thursday.
It warned that clashes were taking place in two locations in Ubon Ratchathani province and one in Surin province, and urged the public to avoid the area. Heavy weapon and rocket fire had been reported coming from Cambodia, it said.
The fighting broke out on Thursday following months of tensions along the two countries' 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border,
Thursday's clashes saw exchanges of small arms and rocket fire, with Thailand later scrambling F-16 jets and bombing what it said were military targets inside Cambodia.
At least 14 people have been killed so far in Thailand, mostly civilians, according to Thailand's Ministry of Public Health.
Meanwhile in Cambodia, at least one person has been killed and five wounded, according to Met Measpheakdey, a spokesperson from Oddar Meanchey province. He added that as of Friday morning, tensions were 'still heated.'
'The exchange of fighting… is still happening,' he said.
More than 4,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced from their homes near the border, the Associated Press reported on Friday, citing another official from Oddar Meanchey.
The recent flare-up came after five Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion on Wednesday.
But tensions had been building since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in which both sides opened fire in another contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
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.
But it's not an evenly matched fight. Thailand's military dwarfs Cambodia's in both personnel and weaponry; its 361,000 active-duty personnel is three times Cambodia's manpower.
And the United States classes Thailand as a major non-NATO ally, enabling Bangkok to enjoy decades of US support for its weapons programs.
Thailand's military has long been a major player within the kingdom's politics and has seized power in multiple coups, often toppling democratic governments. It portrays itself as the ultimate defender of the monarchy.
After the fighting began Thursday, several nations urged the neighbors to de-escalate and avoid further conflict, including Japan and the US.
CNN's Patrick Sarnsamak and Len Leng contributed reporting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
37 minutes ago
- The Hill
Cambodian and Thai leaders hold ceasefire talks in Malaysia as border violence enters fifth day
SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Thai and Cambodian leaders are meeting in Malaysia in an urgent effort to resolve deadly border clashes that entered a fifth day despite mounting international calls for peace. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai are scheduled to hold talks Monday afternoon at the official residence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who is hosting the negotiations as chair of the regional bloc, Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The fighting flared last Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. Troops from both sides reported ongoing fighting Monday along border areas. Gunfire could be heard as dawn broke in Samrong in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Associated Press reporters covering the conflict said. Anwar said late Sunday that both sides would present their conditions for peace but 'what is important is immediate ceasefire.' 'I hope this can work,' Anwar was quoted as saying by Malaysian national news agency Bernama. 'Although it's not as bad as many other countries, we have to put a stop (to the violence).' The meeting followed direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. Before departing for Kuala Lumpur, Phumtham told reporters in Bangkok that the U.S. and China representatives will also attend as observers. He said the key focus would be on an immediate ceasefire, but noted trust could be an issue as Cambodia has not stopped its strikes. 'We have informed that we don't have trust in Cambodia. All they have done reflect that they are not sincere in solving this problem. So they have to show the detail how they will do to prove their sincerity,' he said. The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic cooperation. In a statement Monday, ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated concern over the rising death toll, destruction of public properties and displacement of a large number of people along the disputed border areas. They urged the two countries to resolve their disputes through negotiations and expressed support for efforts to find a middle ground during Monday's talks. The conflict also drew the attention of Pope Leo XIV. At the Vatican on Sunday, the pontiff said he was praying for all those affected by war in the world, including 'for those affected by the clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially the children and displaced families.' At an evacuation shelter in Cambodia's Siem Reap province far away from the border, Ron Mao, 56, prays for a ceasefire deal during the leaders' meeting Monday. She and her family fled their home a kilometer (0.6 mile) away from the front line when fighting broke out Thursday. They took refuge in a shelter but moved again to another camp further away after hearing artillery shelling. 'I don't want to see this war happen. It's very difficult and I don't want to run around like this,' she said, 'When I heard our Prime Minister go to negotiate for peace, I would be very happy if they reached the deal as soon as possible, so that I and my children can return home as soon as possible.' The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. ________
Boston Globe
37 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Cambodian and Thai leaders hold cease-fire talks in Malaysia as border violence enters fifth day
Advertisement Troops from both sides reported ongoing fighting Monday along border areas. Gunfire could be heard as dawn broke in Samrong in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Associated Press reporters covering the conflict said. Anwar said late Sunday that both sides would present their conditions for peace but 'what is important is immediate ceasefire.' 'I hope this can work,' Anwar was quoted as saying by Malaysian national news agency Bernama. 'Although it's not as bad as many other countries, we have to put a stop (to the violence).' The meeting followed direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. Before departing for Kuala Lumpur, Phumtham told reporters in Bangkok that the U.S. and China representatives will also attend as observers. He said the key focus would be on an immediate ceasefire, but noted trust could be an issue as Cambodia has not stopped its strikes. Advertisement 'We have informed that we don't have trust in Cambodia. All they have done reflect that they are not sincere in solving this problem. So they have to show the detail how they will do to prove their sincerity,' he said. The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic cooperation. In a statement Monday, ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated concern over the rising death toll, destruction of public properties and displacement of a large number of people along the disputed border areas. They urged the two countries to resolve their disputes through negotiations and expressed support for efforts to find a middle ground during Monday's talks. The conflict also drew the attention of Pope Leo XIV. At the Vatican on Sunday, the pontiff said he was praying for all those affected by war in the world, including 'for those affected by the clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially the children and displaced families.' At an evacuation shelter in Cambodia's Siem Reap province far away from the border, Ron Mao, 56, prays for a ceasefire deal during the leaders' meeting Monday. She and her family fled their home a kilometer (0.6 mile) away from the front line when fighting broke out Thursday. They took refuge in a shelter but moved again to another camp further away after hearing artillery shelling. Advertisement 'I don't want to see this war happen. It's very difficult and I don't want to run around like this,' she said, 'When I heard our Prime Minister go to negotiate for peace, I would be very happy if they reached the deal as soon as possible, so that I and my children can return home as soon as possible.' The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Eileen reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Cheang from Samrong, Cambodia. Associated Press writers Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Boston Globe
37 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
At Trump's urging, Thailand and Cambodia to meet for cease-fire talks
Advertisement Some analysts see this dispute as a test of US and Chinese influence in Southeast Asia, where Washington and Beijing are competing for dominance. Thailand is a US treaty ally and hosts dozens of military exercises with the United States; China is the largest trading partner of Thailand and Cambodia, which hosts a naval base largely funded by Beijing. Instability in the two Southeast Asian nations could jeopardize the strategic and economic interests of the two world powers. On Saturday, Trump said, he called Hun Manet and Phumtham, adding that they had agreed to work out a cease-fire to the conflict, which has killed at least 34 people. On Sunday, the State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken by phone with his counterparts in Thailand and Cambodia, urging them to lower tensions immediately and agree to an end of the conflict. Advertisement But sporadic skirmishes flared between Thai and Cambodian troops along the two countries' disputed border early Sunday, underscoring the challenge of resolving an increasingly bitter and long-running conflict, one of the deadliest ever between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Analysts said that both countries could also be seeking to grab territory before an agreement was signed. Rubio said he had told Cambodia's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn, and Thailand's foreign minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, about Trump's desire for peace. On Saturday, Trump said he would not negotiate trade deals with Cambodia and Thailand until they stopped the fighting. On Sunday, Phumtham said he had told Trump that Thailand had agreed in principle to a cease-fire and had asked Trump to inform Cambodia that talks should take place as soon as possible. He added that he would 'like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side.' But the deputy spokesperson of the Thai army, Colonel Richa Suksuwanont, distinguished between Trump's conversation with the Thai leader and what was happening on the ground. 'The troops in the battlefield are still following battle strategies,' he said in a statement. 'Thailand confirms that the cease-fire will happen only when Cambodia reaches out to us themselves for negotiation.' The conflict flared after two months of tension over contested territory. In the last outbreak of deadly battles between the countries, from 2008 to 2011, 34 people were killed, according to an academic paper. This year, that death toll was reached in less than a week. Hun Manet said he hoped Thailand would not go back on its cease-fire vow. He added that the Thais had violated a similar promise made after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim negotiated with both sides on Thursday. Malaysia is the chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to which Cambodia and Thailand also belong. Advertisement Thai and Cambodian forces exchanged fire Sunday along the border, near the site of a temple, claimed by both countries, known as Prasat Ta Khwaiq to the Thais and Prasat Ta Krabey to the Cambodians. The deputy Thai army spokesperson, Richa, said the first shots were fired by Cambodia into Thai territory in several areas, including into civilian homes, early Sunday. Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Defense Ministry, said Cambodia 'categorically rejects and condemns in the strongest terms the baseless and irresponsible accusation by Thailand that Cambodia initiated hostilities.' She said Thailand's forces started shelling Cambodian territory at 2 a.m. and expanded their operations to Prasat Ta Krabey and near another ancient temple also claimed by both countries, called Prasat Ta Moan Thom by the Cambodians and Prasat Ta Muen Thom by the Thais. The site is where violence first erupted Thursday. At 6 a.m., Thailand sent in tanks and troops to 'invade' in multiple areas, according to Maly Socheata. 'Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict,' Maly Socheata said.
