On the evening of 3 August 2025, the Cambodian Ministry of Defence issued an alarming statement regarding possible military preparations on the Thai side along the shared border.

In the ongoing tense situation over the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, the Secretary General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), Her Excellency Louise Mushikiwabo, has strongly reaffirmed the paramount importance of respect for international law. In a statement released on 30 July, she urged both countries to comply with the decisions handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962 and 2013, key rulings that remain at the

As the border between Thailand and Cambodia has been in the global spotlight in recent days, one thing is clear to anyone following the international media coverage: the dominant narrative focuses on armed clashes, territorial rivalries and the plight of refugees, while ignoring the remarkable solidarity on the ground and the voices of those working for peace. Why are they being ignored? What logic does it serve?

For more than two decades, the Shinawatra family has been a major political and economic force in Thailand. Descended from the Chinese Hakka minority settled in Chiang Mai, the dynasty rose to prominence with the rise of telecommunications magnate Thaksin Shinawatra, who became Prime Minister in 2001.

Despite the introduction of an immediate ceasefire at midnight on 28 July, sealed following emergency negotiations in Kuala Lumpur led by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the situation continues to fluctuate between periods of calm and fears of renewed violence.

The history of the peoples and kingdoms of Southeast Asia is a fascinating melting pot of migrations, cultural exchanges and fierce rivalries. The Thai people and the Kingdom of Siam reveal a rich tapestry of Khmer influence that is still alive and well in the collective memory.

In Cambodia's turbulent history, few voices carry as much weight and gravity as that of Youk Chhang. Director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia (DC-Cam) and survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide, he has emerged as one of the most ardent defenders of justice, memory and national sovereignty.

After five days of devastating violence, which left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of people along the 800 km border, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an ‘immediate and unconditional’ ceasefire starting at midnight yesterday.

Monday, 28 July 2025. Under international pressure and after five days of deadly fighting on the border, Thailand and Cambodia have finally agreed to an ‘immediate and unconditional’ ceasefire. This truce, solemnly announced during talks in Kuala Lumpur under the auspices of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has left the regional community hanging on a fundamental question: will the Thai army really respect the ceasefire?

Phnom Penh – 28 July 2025 – The leaders of Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire starting at midnight tonight, announced His Excellency Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, at a press conference held in Putrajaya following a closed-door meeting this afternoon.

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.