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
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
Russia's economy is now so militarized, it may keep expanding its army even after the Ukraine war
Russia's war machine has become such an integral part of its economic engine that its military industry is likely to keep expanding even after the fighting in Ukraine ends, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "The end of hostilities will not lead to a radical cut-off of military investment," wrote CSIS analysts in a report published on Thursday. Now in its fourth year, Russia's war with Ukraine continues even as Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration weathers sweeping Western sanctions. And while cracks are starting to show, the Russian economy may still be able to sustain the war effort for several more years, the report said. Defense spending is set to hit a post-Soviet record of 6.3% of GDP in 2025 and could climb even higher despite mounting signs of economic slowdown or recession. "Russia's economy appears sustainable for the next few years," the CSIS analysts wrote. They forecast that the Kremlin could maintain its war of attrition through at least 2027. 'Russia could be preparing for some kind of future confrontation with NATO' The CSIS report comes amid renewed scrutiny of Russia's economy. Manufacturing activity contracted last month, and employment has suffered. GDP growth slowed to 1.4% in the first quarter, down sharply from 4.5% in the previous quarter. Still, Russia has defied expectations thanks to its growing military-industrial complex. "Having become the most sanctioned country in the world, it has managed to maneuver around many economic constraints, keeping revenues from energy sales high and its budget balanced, investing in the military and defense industry, ramping up domestic production of weapons and equipment, and boosting economic growth," wrote the think tank analysts. Crucially, the militarized economy has built a broad base of political and economic stakeholders — from elites to ordinary workers — who benefit from continued conflict. That makes any significant drawdown in military activity politically and economically unlikely. Even if a ceasefire is reached, Russia may still be able to rebuild and expand its armed forces over the next decade. "Russia's war-induced socioeconomic changes have been so significant that the process of societal militarization is unlikely to stop even if the war in Ukraine were to end," wrote the CSIS analysts. The Kremlin's strategic posture hasn't softened either. CSIS suggests Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation with NATO, using the war to modernize its forces and test Western resolve. Beyond conventional arms, Russia has ramped up hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage, political meddling, and strikes on critical infrastructure. These tools allow Moscow to operate aggressively across multiple fronts. "Despite being inferior to NATO in terms of its conventional capabilities, today's Russia represents a bigger challenge to European security than it did at the start of 2022," the CSIS analysts wrote. The Kremlin is learning from past failures, adapting quickly, and growing more confident in what it sees as a West unwilling to stop it. "Moscow's ongoing large-scale military reforms signal that Russia could be preparing for some kind of future confrontation with NATO within roughly the next decade—including even a large-scale conventional war," they wrote.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Poland Scrambles Fighter Jets Amid Russian Attack on Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Poland's armed forces have scrambled it aircraft in response to the threat posed by a Russian missile attack on Ukraine. The NATO member said in a statement the aircraft were deployed overnight Sunday and air defense and radar reconnaissance systems were placed on high alert. The measure was in response to another combined drone and missile attack launched by Russian forces on Ukraine. It comes just over a week after Polish and Swedish armed forces scrambled aircraft stationed in Poland following a similar Russian attack. This is a developing story and will be updated.
an hour ago
Cambodian and Thai leaders hold ceasefire talks as border violence enters fifth day
SURIN, Thailand -- 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.
