Thailand launched air strikes along its disputed border with Cambodia on Monday after fresh fighting erupted before dawn on Monday, raising fears of the collapse of a peace plan brokered just months ago by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Both sides accused the other of breaching the ceasefire in clashes that broke out in the early hours along sections of the frontier, following weeks of rising tension and Thailand’s halt to parts of the truce last month.
The Royal Thai Air Force said it targeted only military infrastructure, including weapons depots, command centres and logistical supply routes it assessed as direct threats.
Cambodia, however, said Thai forces launched dawn attacks on its positions and denied Thailand’s claim that it had initiated the violence. Cambodia’s defence ministry said its troops had not retaliated and accused Thailand of spreading false information.
At least one Thai soldier was killed and at least seven wounded in clashes around two areas in Thailand’s easternmost province of Ubon Ratchathani, the Thai military said. It said its forces came under Cambodian fire before aircraft were deployed.
A Thai military official said the air strikes were in retaliation for an earlier Cambodian artillery and mortar attack that hit a Thai base near the Chong An Ma Pass.
Cambodia’s army said Thai forces had carried out “provocative actions for many days” before launching what it described as a direct assault on its positions.
Thailand said around 70% of civilians in some border towns had been evacuated. More than 385,000 people across four border districts were being moved, with more than 35,000 already in temporary shelters. One civilian death was reported during the evacuation due to a pre-existing medical condition.
The latest fighting revives a conflict that flared into a five-day war in July, killing dozens of people and displacing about 300,000 civilians on both sides. The neighbours exchanged rockets and heavy artillery fire in their most intense clashes in years.
A ceasefire was brokered on 28 July after U.S. President Donald Trump held calls with the leaders of both countries. An expanded ceasefire declaration was later signed in Kuala Lumpur in October in a ceremony witnessed by President Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Trump at the time described the agreement as a major diplomatic breakthrough. However, within weeks, the ceasefire began to unravel.
Thailand said it suspended implementation of the agreement after a landmine explosion at the border severely injured several Thai soldiers. Since then, tensions have steadily escalated.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed sovereignty at several undemarcated points along their 817-kilometre land border for more than a century. The boundary was first mapped in 1907 when Cambodia was under French colonial rule.
The dispute has repeatedly erupted into violence, including a week-long artillery exchange in 2011. Despite repeated diplomatic efforts to settle overlapping claims, the frontier remains one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile flashpoints.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The late...
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multi...
Kazakhstan is set to become the first country in Central Asia to introduce electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis into its transport...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Aleksandar Vučić's visit to Kyiv on 15 July appeared to send a geopolitical signal. But the significance of the trip lies less in the journey itself than in the limits Serbia carefully observed.
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, during the first public town hall debate ahead of a decisive Security Council vote next week.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are facing renewed Western scrutiny after the EU expanded sanctions targeting Russia's supply chains and the U.S. introduced new tariffs affecting trade with Central Asia.
A fast-moving wildfire has forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate homes and camping sites near France's Atlantic coast as extreme heat and worsening drought continue to fuel wildfires across Europe.
Fresh off attracting $4.3 billion in foreign investment and loans during the first half of 2026, Tashkent is using the Global Business Services Forum (GBSF) to showcase Uzbekistan's growing appeal as a destination for international investment in technology, outsourcing and artificial intelligence.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has begun his first week working from No 10 North in Manchester, promising to shift power away from London, strengthen regional decision-making and drive economic growth across the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment