Airstrikes and Artillery Rock Thai-Cambodia Border as Ceasefire Collapses

BANGKOK: A fragile ceasefire along the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia collapsed into open conflict on Monday, with Thailand confirming it launched airstrikes on Cambodian military targets as heavy fighting resumed.

The clashes intensified around 5:00 a.m. local time, leading to at least one Thai soldier killed and eight wounded, a Thai army spokesperson confirmed. The escalation prompted Thailand’s Air Force to deploy air support, citing Cambodian mobilization of heavy weaponry and the repositioning of combat units.

“These developments prompted the use of air power to deter and reduce Cambodia’s military capabilities,” the Thai Air Force stated, justifying the rare use of cross-border airstrikes between Southeast Asian nations.

Both countries have accused the other of breaching the truce, which was originally brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim following a deadly five-day conflict in July.

Cambodia’s defence ministry claimed that Thai forces initiated the “dawn attacks” at two locations after days of provocation, insisting that Cambodian troops had not retaliated. Influential former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, father of the current premier, was quick to brand the Thai military as “aggressors” seeking to provoke a response.

“The red line for responding has already been set,” Hun Sen warned on Facebook, urging Cambodian forces to exercise restraint despite the damage. Early reports confirmed three Cambodian civilians had been seriously injured in the fighting.

The sound of conflict, described by one resident as “Explosions… boom boom! I could hear everything clearly. Some are heavy artillery, some are small arms,” has triggered massive civilian displacement. In Thailand, more than 385,000 civilians across four border districts were being evacuated, with 35,000 already moved to temporary shelters. Across the border, over 1,100 families were evacuated from Oddar Meanchey Province.

The underlying cause of the flare-up is a century-old sovereignty contest along their undemarcated 817-km land border. Tensions had already been mounting, notably after a landmine blast last month maimed a Thai soldier, leading Thailand to halt implementation of the ceasefire agreement and accuse Cambodia of planting fresh landmines—a charge Phnom Penh denies.