{"id":158270,"date":"2025-07-25T11:07:57","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T11:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/thailand-cambodia-border-clashes-acting-thai-pm-says-fighting-could-develop-into-war-as-it-happened-the-guardian\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T11:07:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T11:07:57","slug":"thailand-cambodia-border-clashes-acting-thai-pm-says-fighting-could-develop-into-war-as-it-happened-the-guardian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/thailand-cambodia-border-clashes-acting-thai-pm-says-fighting-could-develop-into-war-as-it-happened-the-guardian\/","title":{"rendered":"Thailand-Cambodia border clashes: acting Thai PM says fighting \u2018could develop into war\u2019 \u2013 as it happened – The Guardian"},"content":{"rendered":"

Comments by Phumtham Wechayachai come as death toll climbs to 16 on second day of clashes along contested border
Thailand and Cambodia: have you been affected by the border dispute?<\/a>
Thailand\u2019s acting prime minister warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia<\/a> \u201ccould develop into war\u201d<\/strong> amid the second day of trading strikes.
Phumtham Wechayachai<\/strong>, cited by AFP, told reporters in Bangkok:
<\/path><\/svg>If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.
He also said the exchanges had affected people\u2019s lives and that the government had \u201cprotected our nation and sovereignty\u201d.
Closing the blog<\/strong>
We\u2019re closing this blog now as tensions between Cambodia<\/a> and Thailand remain high following two days of border clashes that have displaced tens of thousands and drawn international concern. Here\u2019s a summary of today\u2019s key developments:
Thailand says it is open to talks.<\/strong> The country\u2019s foreign ministry signalled it is ready to resolve the crisis diplomatically. \u201cWe are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels,\u201d spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told AFP.
Clashes have erupted in at least 12 locations.<\/strong> A Thai military official said on Friday the violence spans a wide stretch of the disputed border area.
Casualties reported on both sides.<\/strong> Cambodian officials told AFP that one civilian has been killed and five more injured in Thai cross-border strikes. Thai authorities say 15 people have died so far, including 14 civilians.
Mass evacuations under way.<\/strong> Thai authorities say a total of 138,000 civilians have now been evacuated. Cambodian officials report over 4,000 displaced in Oddar Meanchey province alone.
Cambodia accuses Thailand of war crimes.<\/strong> A spokesperson for Cambodia\u2019s Ministry of National Defence alleged the Thai military used cluster munitions during attacks on Cambodian territory, calling the use of such weapons a violation of international law.
The UN calls for restraint.<\/strong> Secretary general Ant\u00f3nio Guterres urged both countries to resolve their differences peacefully and avoid further escalation, according to spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Global powers urge an immediate ceasefire.<\/strong> The US, France, EU and China have all expressed concern over the violence.
UN Security Council to meet today.<\/strong> An emergency meeting on the crisis is scheduled to take place at 3pm in New York (1900 GMT), diplomatic sources told AFP.
We would like to hear from people in both countries about the situation. How have you been affected and have you been evacuated?
Share your experience <\/strong>by clicking on the link below:
Thailand\u2019s foreign ministry<\/strong> has signalled it is open to diplomatic talks<\/strong> with Cambodia<\/a> to end the current border clashes.
\u201cWe are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response<\/strong>,\u201d foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told AFP.
He added that there were signs the fighting was beginning to ease. Malaysia<\/strong>, who currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have previously called for a ceasefire<\/strong>.
The United States<\/strong> has also urged an \u201cimmediate\u201d end to the conflict, while France<\/strong>, Cambodia\u2019s former coloniser, has also called for a cessation of hostilities, according to AFP.
The European Union<\/strong> and China<\/strong>, a close ally of Cambodia, have also expressed concern about the violence and pressed both sides to seek dialogue.
A spokesperson for Cambodia\u2019s Ministry of National Defence has accused Thailand of committing war crimes, claiming the Thai military carried out airstrikes and used cluster munitions and heavy weapons at seven locations inside Cambodian territory<\/strong>.
According to Cambodian local media reports, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said the attacks began at 8:46am on Thursday and included the use of F-16 fighter jets<\/strong>.
Earlier, we reported that Cambodia alleged that cluster munitions had been used in attacks \u2013 <\/strong>which are banned in some instances under international law.
\u201cThese acts of aggression are both brutal and inhumane,\u201d Maly said. \u201cThey violate international law, including the Convention on Cluster Munitions… and reflect a disregard for the most basic humanitarian norms.\u201d
Cambodia\u2019s defence ministry also claims it has repelled further attempts by Thai forces to advance near contested temples along the border.
There has been no immediate response from the Thai military.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued travel advice, warning British nationals to avoid large swathes of territory on both sides of the Thailand-Cambodia border.
\u201cWe advise against all but essential travel to the affected border areas,\u201d the FCDO said on Friday, citing reports of rocket and artillery fire along multiple locations.
In Cambodia<\/strong>, the FCDO now advises against all but essential travel within 50km of the border <\/strong>with Thailand<\/a> in Oddar Meanchey <\/strong>and Preah Vihear provinces<\/strong>. Several tourist sites, including the Preah Vihear temple, Ta Krabey, and Ta Muen Thom temples, have been closed. The land border has also been suspended.
In Thailand<\/strong>, the warning applies to areas within 50km of the Cambodian border<\/strong> in Buriram<\/strong>, Si Saket<\/strong>, Surin<\/strong>, and Ubon Ratchathani<\/strong> provinces.
The FCDO also noted the presence of unexploded landmines in some areas and urged travellers to follow local security guidance closely.
The US, Australia and New Zealand, have also updated their travel advice to recommend avoiding areas where soldiers may be engaged in armed conflict.
The border crisis between Cambodia<\/a> and Thailand is becoming \u201cparticularly combustible\u201d due to a dangerous mix of nationalism<\/strong>, military posturing<\/strong>, and political fragility<\/strong> in both countries, a leading Southeast Asia expert has warned.
Michael Buehler, a reader in comparative politics at SOAS, University of London<\/strong>, told The Guardian that the tensions are \u201crooted in a century-old dispute over poorly demarcated colonial-era boundaries<\/strong>,\u201d but the current escalation follows a series of flashpoints in recent months.
\u201cThings deteriorated rapidly after a May skirmish that left a Cambodian soldier dead, followed by the controversial leaked call between Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia\u2019s former leader Hun Sen<\/strong>,\u201d he said. \u201cThat moment not only exposed internal rifts in Bangkok but also publicly torched the historically close ties between the ruling families of both countries.\u201d
The crisis deepened Wednesday when Thailand expelled Cambodia\u2019s ambassador and recalled its own<\/strong>.
Fighting then broke out early Thursday and has since escalated from small-arms fire to heavy shelling across disputed stretches of the border.
\u201cCambodia, meanwhile, is pressing for an ICJ resolution<\/strong>, which Thailand resists, likely fearing a repeat of past rulings that favored Phnom Penh,\u201d Buehler said.
\u201cWith both governments under pressure and national pride at stake, there\u2019s a real risk of further deterioration,\u201d Buehler added.
Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes<\/strong> as border clashes between Cambodia<\/a> and Thailand entered a second day, stoking fears of a wider conflict.
Thailand\u2019s health ministry said over 58,000 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters<\/strong> across four border provinces. Cambodian officials reported more than 4,000 displaced near Oddar Meanchey province<\/strong>.
Civilians on both sides have been caught in the crossfire. In Surin province<\/strong>, around 600 evacuees are sheltering inside a university gym. \u201cI just heard, boom, boom,\u201d said seamstress Pornpan Sooksai, who fled with her four cats told AP. \u201cWe already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran… I was frightened, scared.\u201d
Rattana Meeying, who also fled Surin<\/strong>, compared the violence to the 2011 border clashes. \u201cChildren, old people, were hit out of the blue,\u201d she said. \u201cI never imagined it would be this violent.\u201d
In Sisaket province<\/strong>, evacuations continued on Friday after fresh shelling damaged Phanom Dong Rak hospital<\/strong> and seriously injured at least three Thai soldiers.
Across the border, Cambodian villagers sought refuge in forest monasteries and dug makeshift underground shelters. \u201cSo that I can return to my home and work on the farm,\u201d 74-year-old Veng Chin said, \u201cI plead with both governments to negotiate a settlement<\/strong>.\u201d
Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/strong>, the UN secretary general<\/strong>, has urged both Cambodia<\/a> and Thailand to exercise restraint<\/strong> and resolve their escalating border dispute through dialogue<\/strong>, according to deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.
The UN Security Council<\/strong> is expected to convene an emergency meeting<\/strong> on the crisis later today in New York.
We reported earlier that Malaysia, which currently chairs the ASEAN regional bloc that includes both countries, has also called for an immediate end to hostilities and reiterated its offer to mediate.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said earlier he had personally contacted both governments to urge a ceasefire and open space for diplomacy.
Cambodia has accused Thai forces of striking near the Preah Vihear temple<\/strong> \u2013 a UNESCO World Heritage site<\/strong> and longstanding flashpoint between the two countries.
Authorities in Phnom Penh released photos they say show damage to the ancient hillside temple complex, which sits along the contested border in Preah Vihear province.
They pledged to pursue international justice for what they described as a violation of heritage and sovereignty.
The Preah Vihear temple has been at the centre of previous conflicts, including deadly clashes in 2008 and 2011<\/strong>.
The International Court of Justice ruled in Cambodia\u2019s favour in both 1962 and again in 2013<\/strong>, affirming its sovereignty over the temple and surrounding land.
Thailand has rejected offers of mediation from third countries<\/strong> in its ongoing border conflict with Cambodia<\/a>, insisting the dispute should be resolved bilaterally.
Speaking to Reuters, Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said that while the United States<\/strong>, China<\/strong>, and Malaysia<\/strong> have all offered to facilitate dialogue, Bangkok is not seeking outside intervention at this stage.
\u201cI don\u2019t think we need any mediation from a third country yet,\u201d Nikorndej said.
\u201cWe stand by our position that bilateral mechanism is the best way out, this is a confrontation between the two countries,\u201d Nikorndej added.
The foreign ministry spokesperson went on to say that the Cambodian side must stop violence along the border first.
The PM\u2019s office of Cambodia<\/a> has just issued a statement with further details accusing Thailand of using cluster munitions.<\/strong>
In a post on X, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA)<\/strong> said it \u201cexpresses its deepest alarm and strongest condemnation following reports that the Royal Thai Armed Forces deployed cluster munitions today, July 25, 2025, in a border area within the Cambodian territory.\u201d
Preliminary reports from local authorities and demining teams claim that cluster munitions were used in Phnom Khmouch<\/strong> and Techo Thammachart Village<\/strong> \u2013 near the Thai border.
The first attack reportedly took place at 5.25am local time, with a second strike at 6.50am local time, putting civilians and deminers at immediate risk, it said.
CMAA described the incident as a \u201cserious breach of international humanitarian norms\u201d. Cluster munitions are banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions due to their indiscriminate impact and lasting danger, particularly to children, the statement added.
Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim<\/strong> has intervened in the escalating tensions along the Cambodia\u2013Thailand border, calling for an \u201cimmediate ceasefire\u201d and offering Malaysia\u2019s assistance in facilitating dialogue between the two neighbours.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he had spoken directly with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet<\/strong> and Thailand\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai<\/strong> to voice Malaysia\u2019s \u201cconcerns over rising tensions along the borders of the two countries\u201d.
Speaking in his capacity as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2025, Anwar said Malaysia was \u201cready to help and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and joint responsibility<\/strong>\u201d.
\u201cI appealed to both leaders to immediately implement ceasefire to avoid worsening conflicts and to open up space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic solutions,\u201d he wrote.
The Malaysian premier welcomed what he described as \u201cpositive gestures<\/strong> and willingness shown by Bangkok and Phnom Penh\u201d in response to his appeal, though he did not elaborate on the nature of those gestures.
\u201cI firmly believe that ASEAN\u2019s strength lies in its solidarity,\u201d he added. \u201cPeace must always be our undivided collective choice.\u201d
What exactly is the Cambodia-Thailand dispute about, what\u2019s the political situation in the two countries and how could the escalating clash affect them? Also, how can the crisis be resolved?
See our explainer here for the answers:
Here are some of the latest images coming in from Thailand and Cambodia<\/a> over the newswires amid the continuing cross-border clashes.
A Cambodian civilian has been killed and five more wounded in cross-border strikes by Thailand<\/strong>, a Cambodian provincial administration official has told AFP.
Cambodia had earlier not yet commented on casualties on its side.
Meth Meas Pheakdey<\/strong>, the spokesperson for the border province of Oddar Meanchey, said on Friday that \u201cso far one civilian was killed and five people were injured during fighting\u201d in the jurisdiction, adding that the death was a 70-year-old man.
Thailand is saying 138,000 civilians have now been evacuated from the continuing border fighting with Cambodia<\/a>, AFP reports.
Earlier on Friday it put the number at just over 100,000.
The Thai ministry of health said in a statement that 138,013 civilians and 428 hospital patients had been evacuated from the border region since clashes began on Thursday.
The clashes between Thailand and Cambodia<\/a> have taken place in 12 locations along their disputed border<\/strong>, a Thai military official said on Friday, indicating a broadening of the conflict that erupted a day earlier.
R Adm Surasant Kongsiri<\/strong>, a military spokesperson, told a press conference Cambodia had continued to use heavy weapons, Reuters reported.
The Thai military on Thursday had reported clashes in six locations.
Thailand\u2019s acting prime minister warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia<\/a> \u201ccould develop into war\u201d<\/strong> amid the second day of trading strikes.
Phumtham Wechayachai<\/strong>, cited by AFP, told reporters in Bangkok:
<\/path><\/svg>If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.
He also said the exchanges had affected people\u2019s lives and that the government had \u201cprotected our nation and sovereignty\u201d.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the clashes along the border of Thailand and Cambodia<\/a>.
Thailand\u2019s military has accused Cambodia of using of long-range weapons to \u201ctarget civilian areas\u201d and of committing \u201cbarbaric acts\u201d that \u201chave senselessly claimed the lives and inflicted injuries upon numerous innocent civilians\u201d as the two countries exchange fire for a second day.
Phnom Penh\u2019s landmine authority has, meanwhile, accused Thailand of using cluster munitions, calling it a \u201cserious violation of humanitarian norms\u201d.
Thai authorities say 15 people have so far been killed, including 14 civilians, while a Cambodian official said one civilian had been killed, although the Cambodian government has yet to give any official update on casualties.
The long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday after weeks of tensions. More than 100,000 Thais have fled the fighting, Bangkok said on Friday.
We\u2019ll bring you more on that soonest. In other developments:
The UN security council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday over the Cambodia-Thailand border clashes, diplomatic sources told AFP<\/strong>. The meeting, requested by Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet, would be held behind closed doors at 3pm (1900 GMT), the sources said.
Britain\u2019s foreign ministry advised against all but essential travel to parts of Cambodia and Thailand,<\/strong> both popular destinations for foreign tourists, after the fighting.
Fighting was focused on six locations, the Thai army said on Thursday.<\/strong> Six Thai air force jets were deployed, hitting two \u201cCambodian military targets on the ground\u201d, according to Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon.
Cambodia<\/strong> has not yet commented on casualties on its side<\/strong>. Defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata refused to answer when asked about the issue at a news conference.
Both sides blame the other for starting the fighting<\/strong>. On Wednesday, Thailand had expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine.
Cambodia<\/strong> downgraded ties to \u201cthe lowest level\u201d on Thursday<\/strong>, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh.<\/p>\n

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