The economic dynamism between Cambodia and Thailand has long been a regional showcase for ASEAN, marking an era of integration, growing trade and productive complementarity. Over the years, Thailand has established itself as a major investor in Cambodia, while Cambodian companies, although smaller in volume, are also seeking to establish a presence in their neighbour.

In the current turmoil engulfing the border between Thailand and Cambodia, one name stands out, both a symbol of military history and a figure of strategy: Chakrabongse Bhuvanath. However, behind this name that resonates throughout the ranks of the army, there is no living general at the head of the army, but rather a prince from the past who has become a military icon whose ‘Chakrabongse Bhuvanath plan’ still guides Bangkok's iron fist in the face of border tensions.

In the heart of the Kulen district in Preah Vihear province, the Wat Por 5000 Safety Centre has become a silent symbol of the divisions affecting the border between Cambodia and Thailand. This vast space, originally a spiritual sanctuary, is now the last refuge for thousands of civilians caught up in the turmoil of a border conflict where history, geopolitics and human lives collide with brutal force.

As the border between Thailand and Cambodia flares up again, Cambodian society is reacting with an intensity rarely seen since the end of the Khmer Rouge conflict. The recent clashes, triggered by territorial disputes, have left dozens dead and caused more than 120,000 civilians to flee along the border.

Despite ceasefire announcements, the border remains the scene of worrying clashes, with President Trump's diplomatic intervention failing to silence the guns.

On 15 June 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a landmark decision in the dispute between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand concerning the territorial sovereignty of the Temple of Preah Vihear. This judgment, the result of a thorough analysis of historical, geographical and legal factors, marks a major milestone in bilateral relations and underscores the importance of international law in the peaceful resolution of border disputes.

Beyond the noise of weapons, a diplomatic theatre is also taking shape, with Thailand repeatedly rejecting any direct external mediation, particularly with regard to Cambodia's request for third-party intervention. Why this categorical refusal of third-party mediation, when the international community is stepping up its calls for peace?

In Southeast Asia, long cited as a model of concerted growth and regional integration, the explosion of conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has upset the fragile balance of the Indochinese peninsula. With exchanges of gunfire, deadly explosions, a flurry of diplomatic expulsions and sealed borders, the rivalry between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has now reached a level of intensity not seen since the Preah Vihear temple crisis

Following a rapid and unexpected escalation, the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia reached a dramatic peak on 25 July 2025. Artillery fire lit up the sky once again, as fear and the sound of weapons dominated the daily lives of more than 138,000 displaced civilians on the Thai side and thousands more Cambodians fleeing border villages.