A border clash between Thailand and Cambodia has escalated as more than 10 people, including several civilians, have been reported killed in clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in a disputed area of their countries’ shared border.
Thailand’s military have said Cambodian troops opened fire first with heavy weapons, while Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence said its troops acted in self-defence after coming under attack. In the aftermath, Thailand has recalled its ambassador to Cambodia, and Cambodia has withdrawn its diplomats from Thailand and ordered all Thai diplomats to leave the country.
Age-Long Dispute
The disputed area between both countries is a border town lying across Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and the north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand.
Cambodian and Thailand forces clashed along the disputed border on Thursday, firing rockets, deploying fighter jets and downgrading their diplomatic ties to the lowest level in decades. The latest escalation on Thursday was triggered by laying of landmines along the disputed border, resulting in explosions and injuries.
Cambodia’s claim on certain parts of the border banks on a 1907 map created during French colonial rule in Cambodia. However, the map’s vagueness led to conflicting interpretations, and Thailand contested it, the issue was never settled completely, even after transnational bodies like the International Court of Justice intervened in 1962.
Clashes between the two forces over the area began in 2008, with both sides accusing each other of starting the fighting and tensions turned deadly in 2011, with at least 15 people killed and tens of thousands of civilians displaced. The fighting focused on a jungle border area including ancient temples to which both sides laid claim.
Deep Political Undertone
In June 2025, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra found herself at the center of a major political crisis after a private phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister and current Senate President, Hun Sen, was leaked. During the call, Paetongtarn sought to ease tensions over an escalating border dispute by appealing personally to Hun Sen, referring to him as “uncle” and herself as his “niece.” She also offered to “take care of anything he needed” and criticized Thailand’s military chief, Gen. Boonsin Padklang, suggesting he was part of the opposition. Hun Sen later admitted to recording the conversation and released it publicly, sparking widespread backlash in Thailand.
The fallout was immediate. The Bhumjaithai Party, a key coalition partner, withdrew its support for Paetongtarn’s government, while protests erupted across Bangkok, with critics accusing her of undermining national sovereignty. A petition from 36 senators led the Constitutional Court to suspend Paetongtarn on July 1 pending an ethics investigation, citing potential constitutional violations. The court gave her 15 days to respond, and Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit stepped in as caretaker. Her approval rating collapsed, and the controversy has since intensified the 2025 Thai political crisis, reignited military tensions with Cambodia, and raised fresh doubts about the long-term future of the Shinawatra political dynasty.
