Thailand launched air strikes along sections of its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday, the Thai military announced, as both neighbours traded accusations of violating a ceasefire negotiated by US President Donald Trump.
According to Thailand’s military, at least one Thai soldier was killed and four others wounded after clashes erupted around two zones in Ubon Ratchathani, the country’s easternmost province. The military said Thai troops came under Cambodian fire before responding.
In its statement, the army confirmed that air power had now been deployed. “The Thai side has begun using aircraft to strike military targets in several areas,” it said.
Cambodia countered with its own statement, saying Thai forces had carried out early morning attacks on two Cambodian positions after days of what it described as “provocative actions.” Phnom Penh insisted its troops had refrained from returning fire.
Thailand, however, accused Cambodia of firing BM-21 rockets toward Thai civilian areas, though no casualties were reported.
Regional concerns grew as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged both sides to step back from escalating hostilities, warning that the renewed fighting could undermine the extensive diplomatic effort that produced the recent ceasefire.
“We urge both sides to exercise maximum restraint, maintain open channels of communication and make full use of the mechanisms in place,” said Anwar, who chairs ASEAN, in a post on X.
The current escalation follows the breakdown of a truce put in place after a five-day conflict in July. The earlier fighting, resolved through a ceasefire mediated by Anwar and witnessed by Trump, killed at least 48 people and displaced around 300,000. Heavy artillery exchanges and rocket fire had marked that brief but intense confrontation.
Tensions reignited last month after a Thai soldier was severely injured by a landmine blast along the frontier. In response, Thailand announced it was suspending implementation of the ceasefire agreement with Cambodia.
Cambodia’s former longtime leader Hun Sen, father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet, condemned Thailand’s actions. Describing Thai troops as “aggressors” seeking to elicit a military reaction, he urged Cambodian forces to remain disciplined.
“The red line for responding has already been set. I urge commanders at all levels to educate all officers and soldiers accordingly,” Hun Sen posted on Facebook.
Thailand has begun evacuating civilians from the conflict zone, with more than 385,000 residents across four districts ordered to move. Over 35,000 people have already been relocated to temporary shelters, according to the Thai military.
The Thai-Cambodian border, stretching 817 kilometres, has been disputed for more than a century. Originally mapped in 1907 during French colonial rule in Cambodia, the boundary remains undemarcated in several areas.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, the frontier has long been a flashpoint, occasionally erupting into violence — including a weeklong artillery exchange in 2011 — whenever tensions over competing claims resurface.
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