Thailand-Cambodia Border Conflict Escalates with Thai F-16 Airstrikes

By NRI Globe Staff
Published: July 24, 2025, 1:02 PM IST

BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH – Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have erupted into deadly clashes along their disputed border, with Thailand launching airstrikes using F-16 fighter jets on Cambodian military targets. The conflict, rooted in a decades-long territorial dispute, has claimed at least nine lives, including civilians, and displaced thousands, prompting both nations to sever diplomatic ties and close border crossings.

Conflict Erupts Near Ancient Temples

The latest flare-up began early Thursday, July 24, 2025, near the Ta Muen Thom and Ta Moan Thom temples, located in a contested border region known as the Emerald Triangle, where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos meet. According to the Thai military, hostilities started around 7:35 AM when a Cambodian surveillance drone was detected near the Ta Muen Thom temple in Thailand’s Surin province. Thai forces reported that six armed Cambodian soldiers, including one carrying a rocket-propelled grenade, approached a Thai military post, prompting a warning. At 8:20 AM, Cambodian troops allegedly opened fire, targeting the Moo Pa military base 200 meters east of the temple ruins.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence disputes this account, claiming Thai troops initiated an “unprovoked incursion” into Cambodian territory. Cambodian forces, according to Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, acted in self-defense, responding to Thai aggression near the Ta Muen Thom and Preah Vihear temples. Cambodia further accused Thailand of deploying drones and heavy weaponry, including artillery, in violation of bilateral agreements.

Clashes quickly escalated, with both sides exchanging small arms fire, rockets, and artillery. Thailand reported that Cambodian BM-21 rocket launchers struck civilian areas in Surin’s Kap Choeng district, killing at least two civilians and injuring three, including a five-year-old child. Cambodian shelling also reportedly targeted Phanom Dong Rak Hospital, prompting the evacuation of patients. Thailand’s Royal Thai Army stated that nine civilians, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed across three provinces, with 14 others injured.

Thai F-16 Airstrikes Target Cambodian Military

In response, Thailand deployed six F-16 fighter jets from Ubon Ratchathani province late Thursday morning. One jet conducted airstrikes, dropping two bombs on a road near the Wat Kaew Seekha Kiri Svarak Pagoda in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, destroying two Cambodian military targets, identified by Thailand as Special Military Region Commands 8 and 9. Thai Army deputy spokesperson Colonel Richa Suksuwanon confirmed, “We have used air power against military targets as planned.” All Thai jets returned safely.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence condemned the airstrikes as “brutal, barbaric, and violent military aggression,” asserting that the targeted areas were within Cambodian territory. Prime Minister Hun Manet, addressing the nation via Facebook, stated, “Cambodia has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution, but in this case, we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.” He reported Thai shelling in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces and urged citizens to remain calm.

A Cambodian journalist, Soy Sopheap, claimed on social media that Cambodian forces downed one Thai F-16, though no official confirmation from either government or independent sources supports this claim. Such reports highlight the risk of misinformation amid heightened tensions.

Landmine Incidents Fuel Tensions

The clashes follow a series of landmine explosions that have intensified the dispute. On Wednesday, July 23, a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine blast in the Chong An Ma pass, the second such incident in a week. Thailand accused Cambodia of planting new landmines, violating the UN Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Cambodia denied the allegations, asserting that the mines were remnants from its civil war decades ago and that Thai soldiers had strayed from agreed paths.

The landmine incidents prompted Thailand to recall its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expel Cambodia’s ambassador from Bangkok. Cambodia retaliated by downgrading diplomatic ties to “the lowest level,” withdrawing all but one diplomat from Thailand, and expelling Thai diplomats from Phnom Penh. Both nations have closed all border checkpoints, with Thailand evacuating approximately 40,000 civilians from 86 villages in Surin and other border provinces.

Historical Context and Political Fallout

The Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, centered around ancient Khmer temples like Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom, dates back over a century. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand rejects the ICJ’s jurisdiction, claiming parts of the border remain undemarcated. Previous clashes in 2011 killed at least 20 people and displaced thousands. A skirmish in May 2025, which killed a Cambodian soldier, further strained relations.

The conflict has triggered political instability in Thailand. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended earlier this month pending an ethics probe after a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen, father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet. In the call, Shinawatra appeared to criticize her military’s actions, sparking domestic backlash. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai emphasized a cautious approach, stating, “We must act in accordance with international law.”

In Cambodia, Hun Manet announced plans to reinstate mandatory military conscription in 2026, citing rising border tensions. Cambodia has also called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to address Thailand’s “grave aggressions,” which it claims threaten regional peace.

International Response and Civilian Impact

The UK Foreign Office issued a travel advisory urging British nationals to exercise caution near the Thailand-Cambodia border. Thai authorities have advised nationals in Cambodia to leave immediately, while residents in Surin were seen fleeing to concrete bunkers amid gunfire and explosions. Videos from Thai PBS showed families, including children and the elderly, seeking shelter.

Analysts suggest that while a full-scale war is unlikely, the lack of strong leadership to de-escalate the situation poses risks. Jonathan Head, a BBC correspondent, noted, “Nobody thinks this will blow up into a full-scale war, but at the moment there’s a lack of leadership in both countries to pull back from this confrontation.”

Critical Perspective Both nations’ narratives—Thailand’s claim of Cambodian provocation and Cambodia’s assertion of Thai aggression—lack independent verification, raising questions about the true instigator. The rapid escalation from a drone sighting to airstrikes suggests underlying political motives, possibly tied to domestic pressures. Thailand’s accusations of new landmines contrast with Cambodia’s plausible explanation of leftover ordnance, given the millions of unexploded mines from past conflicts. The absence of neutral observers, such as UN peacekeepers, complicates efforts to establish facts.

The involvement of F-16 jets, a significant escalation, underscores the need for ASEAN mediation to prevent further violence. Both governments’ focus on military posturing over diplomacy risks prolonging a conflict that primarily harms civilians, as evidenced by the deaths and displacements reported.

Path Forward As fighting continues at key flashpoints, including Ta Krabey Temple and Mom Bei, international pressure is mounting for a ceasefire. Cambodia’s appeal to the UN Security Council and Thailand’s engagement with the UN Mine Ban Convention signal efforts to internationalize the dispute. However, Thailand’s rejection of ICJ jurisdiction and Cambodia’s military buildup suggest entrenched positions.

For now, the border remains a tinderbox, with civilians bearing the brunt of a conflict fueled by historical grievances and modern rivalries. The international community, particularly ASEAN, must act swiftly to broker dialogue and prevent a broader regional crisis.

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