BANGKOK — Thailand has shut all land border crossings with Cambodia after deadly fighting erupted along the disputed frontier, resulting in at least 12 deaths and dozens of injuries, government and media reports confirm.
According to Thailand’s Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, Cambodian artillery strikes claimed the lives of 11 civilians and one Thai soldier, and wounded 24 civilians and seven military personnel, including an eight-year-old boy. Attack sites included a petrol station, residential homes, and even a hospital in Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani provinces.
In response, the Thai military deployed six F‑16 fighter jets, launching an airstrike that destroyed a Cambodian military target near the Ta Muen Thom temple in what Bangkok termed a precision operation. Cambodia denounced the airstrike as “reckless and brutal military aggression” and petitioned the UN Security Council for intervention.
Crisis Escalates Rapidly
- Both nations blame each other for initiating the violence, which erupted from a long-running border dispute.
- Thailand reportedly sealed four checkpoints and two historic temple crossings, and evacuated approximately 40,000 residents to makeshift bunkers.
- Nation-wide political impacts included the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, replaced temporarily by Phumtham Wechayachai, who emphasized international law and peaceful resolution.
Regional and Humanitarian Fallout
| Concern | Details |
|---|---|
| Civilian welfare | Rising casualties caught civilians in crossfire; hospital, petrol station targeted; mass evacuations underway |
| Military escalation | Use of airstrikes, artillery, surveillance drones, and heavy weapons like BM‑21 rockets |
| Diplomatic rupture | Ambassadors recalled/expelled; Cambodia appeals to the UN; ASEAN and China urge calm |
| Historic flashpoint | Renewed fallout from colonial-era border disagreements, including around Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples |
This is the most intense confrontation since 2011, and analysts warn it risks unravelling regional stability in Southeast Asia unless both Bangkok and Phnom Penh exercise restraint.
