Thailand has stopped fuel shipments passing through its border with Laos over fears they were being diverted to Cambodia, as fierce fighting between the two neighbours shows no sign of easing.
Thailand’s military said it had restricted all fuel movement through the Chong Mek border crossing into Laos after intelligence suggested the supplies were reaching Cambodian forces.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a Thai defence ministry spokesperson, stressed that the measures were not intended to affect the Lao people or government.
The Thai navy says it's also considering limiting vessel movement in Cambodian waters deemed “high-risk,” though officials said shipments from other countries would not be affected.
Cambodia relies on imports of refined fuels such as gasoline, gasoil, and jet fuel, with Singapore currently supplying the majority, while Thailand’s contribution has dropped significantly since July.
The conflict has flared along multiple points of the 817-kilometre (508-mile) Thailand-Cambodia border at nine locations including coastal provinces and it has displaced more than half a million people and killed at least 38 in the past eight days.
Both sides accuse each other of breaking previous ceasefires, including those brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump in July and expanded in October.
Maly Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia’s defence ministry, noted an increase in Thai fighter jets and the use of cluster bombs.
Thailand’s armed forces are widely considered stronger, with a larger navy and one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced air forces, including F-16s and Swedish Gripen jets.
A scheduled meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers, which could have included both countries, has been postponed until 22 December at Thailand’s request. Both nations insist that any resolution must begin with a clear cessation of hostilities by the other side.
The renewed fighting underscores the long-standing tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia disputed border, a flashpoint for decades despite multiple agreements aimed at de-escalation.
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Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday (13 December) that Thai forces would continue military action along the Cambodia border until Bangkok believes there is no longer a threat to Thai territory or civilians.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have eased after a ceasefire ended five days of deadly border clashes, but military talks remain delayed and Bangkok plans to report violations to the U.S. and China.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
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