Thai airstrikes hit Cambodian border as ceasefire collapses
Thailand carried out airstrikes along its contested border with Cambodia on Monday, as both nations accused each other of violating the ceasefire that ended deadly clashes earlier this year.
Border tensions erupted into five days of violence in July, leaving dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. U.S. President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire in October, but mistrust between the neighbors has remained high.
Thailand’s defense ministry said more than 35,000 residents near the frontier have moved to shelters or to stay with relatives farther away. Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said several border villages have also been evacuated.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a televised address that Thailand would take whatever military action is needed to safeguard its territory and protect civilians.
“Thailand has never sought conflict. We have never started a fight or invaded anyone, but we will not accept violations of our sovereignty,” he said.
New clashes followed Sunday’s exchange of fire
The October ceasefire had already been under strain since early November, when land mines injured Thai soldiers. Bangkok then suspended implementation of the truce, with both sides blaming each other even as they were meant to jointly remove the mines.
Trump said in mid-November that he had stepped in to help keep the ceasefire intact.
A brief firefight erupted on Sunday, with each country claiming the other fired first. Thailand reported two soldiers wounded and said it returned fire for about 20 minutes, while Cambodia insisted Thai troops initiated the clash and that its forces held back.
On Monday, Thai military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree said Cambodian forces opened fire across several areas of the border, killing one Thai soldier and injuring four others. Civilians were being moved from the conflict zone, he added.
He confirmed that Thai aircraft struck “military targets in multiple locations to suppress Cambodian supporting fire.”
Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata countered that Thailand launched Monday’s attack and claimed Cambodian troops did not respond initially.
“Cambodia calls on Thailand to immediately cease all hostile actions that undermine regional peace and stability,” she said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged both sides to show restraint, saying his country is prepared to support efforts to prevent further escalation. “Our region cannot allow old disputes to spiral into confrontation,” he said.
Longstanding historical rifts fuel dispute
Thailand and Cambodia’s rivalry stretches back centuries to their eras as competing empires. Current territorial claims largely relate to a 1907 map drafted during Cambodia’s French colonial period — a document Thailand disputes.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice granted Cambodia sovereignty over territory including the Preah Vihear temple, a ruling still resented by many in Thailand.
The existing ceasefire does not address the root cause of the conflict — longstanding disagreements over the precise border line.
Source: UNB/AP