Tragic escalation at the Thai-Cambodian border: Four civilians killed by Thai fire, tens of thousands displaced

In a renewed outbreak of cross-border violence that revives long-standing territorial tensions, the Thai army bombed Cambodian positions Monday morning — killing at least four civilians and wounding nine others in the provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey.

These confrontations — the most serious since last July — forced the evacuation of more than 35,000 Thai residents and at least 1,100 Cambodian families, who fled their villages seeking shelter in schools and temporary camps.

According to Cambodian authorities, via the spokeswoman of the Defense Ministry, Maly Socheata, and the Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, artillery fire and a strike by an F-16 plane occurred around 9 a.m., near the historic temple area of Ta Muen Thom. They accuse Bangkok of unjustified aggression.

On the Thai side, the army’s 2nd Military Region claimed the aerial strikes were “precise” and carried out in “self-defense” against Cambodian artillery positions that allegedly fired first, killing a Thai soldier and injuring four others.

Spokesman Winthai Suvaree stated that Thai warplanes targeted military objectives to suppress enemy support fire, while mass evacuations were ordered across eight border districts, where a state of emergency has been declared. Bangkok set a ceasefire ultimatum by 6 p.m., threatening to escalate operations if Phnom Penh did not comply.

This crisis is rooted in a centuries-old dispute left over from French-colonial era cartography, centered on Khmer temples such as Preah Vihear — recognized as part of Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962.

Hostilities — sparked by seemingly minor incidents like land-mine explosions and civilian incursions — have already displaced hundreds of thousands this year, with heavy artillery exchanges and reports of cluster-bomb usage from both sides.

Despite unsuccessful bilateral talks in June and repeated calls for mediation, the situation continues to deteriorate. The acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned that the conflict could escalate into a full-scale war.

As border schools and hospitals close to protect civilians, both nations exchange sharp accusations: Cambodia denies all provocative fire and decries Thai rockets hitting journalists, while Bangkok alleges Cambodian military incursions and arms build-up.

Along this volatile 800-kilometer border — marked by sacred sites and fraught history — the international community watches with growing concern, fearing a destructive spiral at the gates of the Mekong.