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Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thai Foreign Ministry condemns Cambodia's repeated attacks on communities, lies
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said it 'condemns in the strongest terms' Cambodia for repeatedly attacking Thai communities and lies that Thailand fired first. The ministry issued its statement concerning artillery attacks on people's homes in the northeastern province of Surin early Sunday morning. 'This morning (27 July 2025) around 4.30 hrs., heavy artillery shots were fired into civilian homes in Surin province in Thailand by Cambodian armed forces, followed by a disinformation campaign launched by Cambodia falsely alleging Thailand fired the first shots,' the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in the statement. 'Thailand condemns in the strongest terms this egregious and repeated violation of international law and calls on Cambodia to immediately cease attacking civilian targets,' the ministry said. It blamed Cambodia for lacking honesty and continuously violating human rights. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith and repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law,' the ministry's statement read. 'Thailand reserves the inherent right to self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter and has responded at limited military targets to neutralise the threats to our national sovereignty and territorial integrity,' the ministry said. It urged the international community to condemn 'these inhumane, reprehensible acts being committed by Cambodia which have no place in a rules-based international order.' The Foreign Ministry's statement came as border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia continued for the fourth day, just after United States President Donald Trump's call for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Second Army Region said Cambodia fired rockets from multi-barrel rocket launchers at Ta Muen Thom temple ruins in Surin on Sunday, and that the attack was "a clear violation of Thai sovereignty".
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Thailand-Cambodia Border Clashes Are Taking Place
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. Thailand and Cambodia have exchanged fire on their border and accused each other of starting armed clashes. Newsweek has produced a map that shows the location of the hostilities. As of Thursday, at least 11 civilians were confirmed killed and 14 wounded, according to Thai authorities. Cambodia has not released information on casualties. Thailand sealed all land borders with its neighbor because of the clashes, which Bangkok says are ongoing in at least six areas along the frontier. Newsweek has contacted the foreign ministries of Thailand and Cambodia for comment. A Cambodian BM-21 multiple rocket launcher returns from the Cambodia-Thai border following clashes in Preah Vihear province on July 24, 2025. A Cambodian BM-21 multiple rocket launcher returns from the Cambodia-Thai border following clashes in Preah Vihear province on July 24, 2025. Getty Images Why It Matters Thursday's clashes mark an escalation of a long-standing dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors who share a 500-mile land border—largely mapped by France when it ruled Cambodia. Cambodia has sought a ruling from the U.N.'s International Court of Justice over disputed areas, but Bangkok does not recognize the ICJ's jurisdiction and claims that some areas along the border were never fully demarcated. Tensions were reignited in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash and Cambodia is requesting the United Nations Security Council convene an "urgent meeting" to stop the violence amid international concerns that it could spiral. What To Know Both sides have accused the other of firing the first shot on Thursday morning. Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said Thursday clashes are ongoing in at least six areas along the border, the Associated Press (AP) reported and the Thai army said six people had been killed after shots were fired at a gas station in Si Sa Ket province. The Thai army said it launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia, while the Cambodian Defense Ministry said Thai jets had dropped bombs near the ancient Preah Vihear temple. The first clash on Thursday morning took place near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, the AP reported. Video showed people running from their homes and explosions. One person was killed and three other civilians, including a 5-year-old boy, injured when Cambodia fired shots into a residential area, Surasant said. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a Facebook post that his country had "no choice but to respond with military force against the armed aggression." Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Cambodia of attacking both military and non-military sites in Thailand, including a hospital, as Bangkok called on its neighbor to "stop all actions that violate Thailand's sovereignty." What People Are Saying Thailand's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that Cambodia must "take responsibility for the incidents that have occurred, cease attacks against civilian and military targets, and stop all actions that violate Thailand's sovereignty." Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a letter to the UN: "Considering the recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which have gravely threatened peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request you to convene an urgent meeting of the Security Council to stop Thailand's aggression." What Happens Next Cambodia has said it was downgrading diplomatic relations, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. Amid calls for U.N. involvement to address the crisis, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, told CNN, the conflict is "likely to get worse before it gets better."
