TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thai and Cambodian troops clashed once again on Thursday, July 24, 2025, in a disputed border area near the Ta Moan Thom Temple, located in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey Province.
Al Jazeera reported that Thailand accused Cambodian forces of initiating the escalation by flying a surveillance drone, followed by artillery fire and BM-21 rocket attacks into Thai territory.
Thai Army spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon confirmed that two Thai soldiers were injured in the incident. F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to the area but returned to their bases by midday.
Civilian Casualties Mount
In Thailand’s Surin Province, local district chief Sutthirot Charoenthanasak said that two civilians were killed and several others injured by Cambodian rockets launched early Thursday.
“Approximately 40,000 residents from 86 villages have been evacuated to safer locations,” he told local media.
A Thai military spokesperson told CNA that a rocket hit a residential area, killing one civilian and damaging infrastructure including a gas station and nearby homes.
Accusations and Retaliation
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense accused Thailand of provoking the clash, claiming their military responded in self-defense.
Former Prime Minister Hun Sen also blamed the Thai military for striking Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces.
He wrote on social media, “The Cambodian army had no choice but to fight back and launch retaliatory strikes.”
Urging calm, he added, “Do not panic and hoard rice or other food. Please continue your activities as usual, except in border areas.”
The flare-up followed a landmine explosion on July 16 that cost a Thai soldier his leg and injured three others. Thailand alleged Cambodia planted the explosives, but Cambodia denied the claim, attributing the mines to remnants of an old civil conflict.
Diplomatic Fallout
Amid rising tensions, Thailand's ruling Pheu Thai Party recalled its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia’s ambassador from Bangkok.
Cambodia responded by pulling out all its diplomats and downgrading ties to the second secretary level.
Borders Shut Down
All checkpoints along the Thai-Cambodian border have been closed. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri reported gunfire at six separate locations and claimed Cambodian troops were equipped with drones and rocket-propelled grenade launchers from early Thursday.
The Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh has urged its nationals to leave Cambodia unless absolutely necessary, warning of a worsening situation with potential for a prolonged conflict.
The Thai-Cambodian border dispute, particularly along the 817-kilometer undemarcated stretch, has lasted for more than a century.
The latest fighting in the strategically sensitive Emerald Triangle region, home to ancient temples and intersecting borders with Laos, marks another dangerous escalation in this longstanding rivalry.
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