The fighting, centred on the disputed areas of Prasat Ta Muen Thom and the ‘Emerald Triangle’, has already left more than 30 people dead and displaced nearly 200,000. Between diplomatic interventions, a humanitarian crisis and political tensions, the future of the region remains complicated and uncertain.

Be wary of statements on social media seeking to justify the border crisis as American manipulation aimed at supplying more weapons to Thailand. While this is not impossible, it remains highly unlikely, as the US is already the leading supplier and American motivations seem to be more focused on economic stability and even Trump's desire for recognition as a ‘peace power’.

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.

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.

When Cambodia and Thailand clash, particularly over sensitive border territories such as the Preah Vihear temple, the media unfortunately invite themselves to play a role in the crisis.

On Thursday, 24 July 2025, gunfire broke out on the border between Thailand and Cambodia. The clashes are considered the most serious crisis between the two countries in 15 years.

The repercussions are being felt in local communities – market vendors, migrant workers and small traders – who have long depended on daily crossings for their livelihoods. The once-fluid crossings between the seventeen official border posts are now hampered by closure orders and reduced opening hours. These sudden barricades have an immediate impact on the border economy, where some 500,000 Cambodian workers hold essential jobs in the Thai labour market. Fruit sellers, stall

Recent clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, including a deadly shooting on May 28 that killed a Cambodian soldier, have exacerbated tensions between the two countries. After reinforcing their troops in late May and early June, the two countries agreed to return to their previously established military positions along the disputed border.

Thailand has formalised a major agricultural trade agreement with Cambodia, committing to purchase 300,000 tonnes of cassava and 100,000 tonnes of red corn per year through the Cambodian Cassava Federation (CFC).

According to the General Department of Customs and Excise, Thailand remains Cambodia's fourth largest trading partner, just behind China...