Thailand-Cambodia fighting spreads along contested border

Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia escalated sharply on Tuesday as Bangkok accused Cambodian troops of crossing into its territory, prompting new military operations along a volatile stretch of their disputed border. 

The renewed hostilities have shattered the fragile ceasefire arranged in July under the mediation of US President Donald Trump.
Thailand’s Navy announced it had detected Cambodian forces inside the coastal province of Trat and launched operations to push them back, though it offered no details on the scale of the deployment. The clashes have spread to multiple points along the frontier, deepening fears of a wider confrontation between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
Both sides blame each other for reigniting the conflict. Cambodia’s Defence Ministry reported two additional civilian deaths overnight, raising its toll to six. One Thai soldier has been killed, according to military officials. Phnom Penh maintains that its troops have avoided retaliatory fire despite what it describes as repeated and 'unprovoked' Thai attacks.
In a late-night address, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet warned Thailand against 'using military force against civilian villages under the pretext of defending sovereignty,' accusing Bangkok of escalating tensions for domestic political gain. Thailand, meanwhile, said Cambodian forces were reinforcing their positions, deploying snipers and heavy weapons, digging trenches and fortifying new outposts—moves the Thai Navy labelled a “direct and serious threat” to national sovereignty.
Monday’s fighting marked the deadliest flare-up since July’s five-day border conflict, when at least 48 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced before a Trump-brokered ceasefire halted rocket and artillery exchanges. That earlier battle prompted Thailand to evacuate 438,000 residents from five border provinces, while Cambodia relocated hundreds of thousands more. Dozens of soldiers and civilians were injured on both sides.
Tensions have simmered for decades along the 817-kilometre border, where unresolved territorial claims and disputes over ancient temple sites have repeatedly sparked nationalist rallies and armed clashes, including a week-long artillery battle in 2011. The situation deteriorated again this year after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May, triggering heavy troop deployments, a breakdown in diplomatic dialogue, and repeated skirmishes across the frontier.
Regional observers warn the latest fighting risks spiralling unless both countries re-engage in negotiations to restore communication channels and respect earlier demarcation agreements.