Clashes Intensify on Cambodia–Thailand Border as Both Sides Vow to Defend Sovereignty

Fighting along the disputed border between Cambodia and Thailand escalated on Tuesday, with both Southeast Asian neighbours accusing each other of triggering renewed clashes and pledging not to back down in defending their territorial sovereignty. The violence resumed on Monday, raising fresh questions about the fate of a fragile ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump in July.

Former Cambodian leader Hun Sen said his country had waited 24 hours to honour the ceasefire before launching counter-attacks. Writing on Facebook, Hun Sen claimed Cambodia “needs peace” but was “forced to act in defence of its territory,” adding that reinforced bunkers and weapons had given Cambodian forces an advantage against what he called an “attacking enemy.”

Thai military reports wider fighting

Thai military officials said clashes had spread across at least five border provinces. They accused Cambodian forces of using artillery, rocket launchers and bomb-dropping drones to strike Thai positions.

Rear Admiral Sorsant Kongsieree, a spokesperson for Thailand’s defence ministry, said Thailand was committed to protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity and would take all necessary military measures.

Civilian and military casualties

Cambodia’s defence ministry accused Thailand of “brutal and illegal actions,” saying nine civilians had been killed and 20 seriously wounded since Monday. Thai authorities reported that three soldiers had been killed, while 29 people were injured.

Hun Sen’s son also criticised Bangkok, saying Thailand should not use “sovereignty as a pretext to attack civilian villages.”

Mass evacuations

Both governments said hundreds of thousands of residents had been evacuated from border areas as the clashes intensified.

Tensions have risen since last month, when Thailand suspended de-escalation measures agreed during a Trump-hosted summit. The move came after a Thai soldier was injured by a landmine Bangkok alleged Cambodia had recently planted.

The latest fighting is the most serious since a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery in July, which left at least 48 people dead and displaced 300,000 before Trump intervened to negotiate a ceasefire.

Long-standing border dispute

Cambodia and Thailand have claimed overlapping areas along their 817-kilometre land border for more than a century. Disputes surrounding ancient temple sites and undefined frontier points have repeatedly fuelled nationalism and sporadic armed clashes, including a deadly week of artillery exchanges in 2011.

Analysts note that Thailand holds a clear advantage in military capability, with a larger defence budget, more advanced weapons and fighter aircraft providing air support to ground forces. However, diplomatic ties between the two countries have sharply deteriorated, and there is little clarity on how the ceasefire can be restored.