New Delhi:Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified, with deadly border clashes entering a third day and the death toll climbing to 32. The latest flare-up in the long-standing territorial dispute has forced over 80,000 people from both countries to flee their homes, sparking fears of a prolonged conflict.
The United Nations Security Council held a closed-door emergency session on Friday in New York to discuss the crisis. While no official statement was released, a council diplomat revealed that all 15 member states urged both nations to deescalate, exercise restraint, and resolve the dispute through peaceful dialogue. The council also encouraged regional involvement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mediate the conflict.
Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Chhea Keo reiterated his country’s call for an unconditional ceasefire and denied accusations of aggression, questioning how a smaller nation without an air force could initiate an attack on a larger, better-equipped neighbor. He stressed that Cambodia seeks only a diplomatic solution. Meanwhile, Thailand’s UN ambassador declined to comment after the meeting.
On the ground, violence escalated along the contested border, particularly near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, claimed by both countries. Thai officials reported that Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting retaliatory “supporting fire.” Cambodia accused Thailand of shelling civilian areas, including a school and a pagoda, while Thailand denied targeting civilians and alleged that Cambodia was using human shields.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai accused Cambodia of potential war crimes due to civilian casualties and damage to a hospital. He insisted Thailand had shown “utmost restraint” despite repeated provocations.
The death toll includes 19 people in Thailand — mostly civilians — and 13 in Cambodia. Dozens more have been injured, including soldiers on both sides. Cambodian authorities reported that two Thai rockets struck a school compound in Oddar Meanchey province, although no injuries were recorded. Schools in the area have since been closed.
The fighting has displaced thousands. Thailand’s Health Ministry said more than 58,000 people have taken shelter in four border provinces, while Cambodian officials reported over 23,000 evacuees. Makeshift camps have sprung up on both sides of the border. In Thailand’s Surin province, evacuees huddled in a university gymnasium, while across the border, Cambodian villagers sought refuge in Buddhist temples and improvised underground shelters.
Many civilians described scenes of chaos as the shelling began. Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai fled with her four cats after explosions rocked her village near Ta Muen Thom. “I was frightened, scared,” she said. Another evacuee, Rattana Meeying, said she had lived through the 2011 clashes but described this round of violence as far more intense.
At the Phanom Dong Rak hospital in Thailand, wounded soldiers continued to arrive amid the sound of distant artillery. One soldier arrived with both legs severed, and parts of the hospital building were damaged in earlier shelling.
The origins of the latest confrontation date back to May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border incident. Tensions surged again on Wednesday after a landmine explosion injured five Thai soldiers, prompting Thailand to close the border and expel Cambodia’s ambassador. Fighting broke out shortly after.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said both sides had agreed to a ceasefire and a mutual troop withdrawal but needed more time before implementing the measures. He also offered Malaysia’s support in facilitating peace talks.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for calm and stressed the importance of resolving the dispute through dialogue. The 800-kilometre (500-mile) border between Thailand and Cambodia has long been a source of friction, but previous confrontations have typically been short-lived. The most serious prior incident occurred in 2011, leaving 20 dead.
With rising casualties, mounting displacement, and diplomatic tensions, the international community now watches closely, hoping efforts by ASEAN and the UN can steer both nations back to the negotiating table before the crisis worsens further.
