Byline: International Desk, July 26th 2025
Violent clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border have claimed at least 32 lives, wounded more than 130 individuals, and uprooted thousands – marking it one of the worst border incidents for nearly 10 years, officials warn.
Death toll figures include 19 civilian fatalities in Thailand and 13 soldiers responding to cross-border hostilities in Cambodia; these deaths include 19 civilian deaths in Thailand (mainly civilians) and 13 soldier responses (both civilian and soldiers) reported by The Wall Street Journal and 15 by The Guardian plus 15 by X (formerly Twitter), Reuters +1 by The Guardian
This week’s figures illustrate the severity and rapid escalation of conflict, which began after a Thai soldier accidentally stepped on a landmine earlier this week – sparking artillery exchanges, airstrikes and rocket fire across multiple border provinces, according to Al Jazeera, Wikipedia, Reuters and Al Jazeera sources.
Escalation and Military Engagement
What began as isolated skirmishes near Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple has quickly escalated into widespread engagement involving Thai F-16 fighter jets bombing Cambodian positions with F16 bombers from Thailand; rocket and artillery barrages; as well as reciprocal fire from both sides, with F-16 jets bombing Thai positions bombed by Cambodia; rocket and artillery barrages bombarding Thai positions, rocket and artillery barrages launched from both sides and then returning fire from both sides; all this, with Thai F-16 fighter jets bombing Thai F-16 fighter jets bombing Cambodian positions while Thai F-16 fighter jets bombarding Thai positions; rocket and artillery barrages launched into Cambodia by Thai F-16 fighter jets bombing them from Thai F-16 fighter jets targeting Cambodian positions with F16 bombing and artillery barrages followed by rocket and artillery barrages fired backfiring, artillery barrages being fired back across borders while firing by both sides (X (formerly Twitter), rocket barrages fired back fired against both sides, rocket/artillery barrages with barrages being launched against each side for firing back with artillery barrages fired backfire retaliatory fire from Thai positions as well as exchange fire exchange between two sides with each side retaliatory fire from Thai fighter jets; rocket/artillery barrages firing through Cambodian positions from Thai positions with barrages as well retaliary barrages launched and then both sides by F16 fighter jet bombing each other sides then followed by rocket/artillery barrages followed by both sides firing back fire exchanged and exchanged retaliatory fire from both sides bombarding each side, plus rocket barrages exchanged to which both parties and firing back and fire exchange between both parties then eventually producing firefire from both sides then firing against each side by rocket and artillery barrage barrage and then artillery barrage and firing and fire exchange between rocket/artillery bombardments; then firing back firing backfire then firing with each side re firing after fire by barrage and counterfire from Cambodia then firing back fire firing on each side’s firing firing and fire from Cambodia then fired counter-barrage and then fire back out when each other then firing fire with counterfire firing with both then firing their positions after both rocket bombards followed by firing with counter-fire firing firing between both side firing then firing each side followed retali re re refire before firings then barrage and then firings fire between each side firing fire returning then firing before both side firing each side using both side by both side (The Sun, which took both side bombarding each side etc re re retaliv refire exchanged then firing shots and counter fire firing shots during combat to fire firing etc before firing attacks with rocket re firing after firing then each side (x 16 F16/artiller barrage and then firing their opposing then firing their then firing off simultaneously while then firing back off before fire while firing each side fire with both firing then firing fire as their positions by F16 etc etc), etc as both firing firefighting bombing each side, after fire then each side etc +15 etc until finally ended) before finally stopping each side after firing fire/retali refire with both side, whils.) etc……………….. then fired/ etc…… etc…..etc, respectively before finally firing and counter re re firing then the
Thailand and Cambodia are in dispute over who initiated attacks and laid landmines on Thai territory, yet Cambodian leaders have denounced recent Thai strikes as unprovoked aggression and demand international condemnation of such action, according to reports by The Times of India, Reuters, and AP News.
Martial law has now been declared in border districts of Chanthaburi and Trat provinces in Thailand as the conflict has spread beyond earlier flashpoints to new areas–some over 100km away from previous hostilities, as reported by Al Jazeera, Wikipedia, AP News etc.
Displacement and Humanitarian Toll
Over 130,000 civilians have been uprooted since fighting started, including 58,000 Thais and 23,000 Cambodians who have been moved into temporary shelters or evacuation centres in regional towns such as Ubon Ratchathani and Oddar Meanchey for protection, according to The Guardian and Al Jazeera’s accounts, plus Wikipedia information.
+6
In many instances, fleeing initial bombardments meant abandoning homes entirely and abandoning livelihoods or critical infrastructure that may have been destroyed due to shelling.
One evacue described hearing the sound of artillery booming across her village at dawn: “Nearly everybody’s gone, it’s almost deserted city”, underscoring how quickly civilian life had been disrupted (The Guardian/Reuters).
Calls for Restraint and Diplomatic Efforts
On July 25, the UN Security Council held an urgent session to assess the worsening situation; ASEAN chair Malaysia offered mediation. Both Cambodian and Thai representatives indicated willingness to pursue ceasefire and dialogue; Cambodia accused Thailand of breaking out of a Malaysia-brokered ceasefire at the last moment, according to Politico +4 and AP News (+4) sources.
Governments across the region – Indonesia, India, France – have appealed for restraint and diplomatic solutions, with international organizations warning of wider regional destabilisation if the conflict escalates, according to The Guardian, SAMAA TV, and The Sun (in descending order of importance).
Historical Fault Lines & Diplomatic Fallout
This conflict reignites an age-old territorial dispute originating in colonial-era determinations of border sovereignty–most prominently around Preah Vihear temple and adjacent territories awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, whilst Politico, Wikipedia, Reuters and AFP all report about it as contributing factors.
Nationalist sentiment in both countries has caused tension, leading to diplomatic relations becoming severely impaired: Thailand recalls its ambassador in Phnom Penh while expelling Cambodia’s ambassador and closing multiple border crossings under military authority, among other moves (Wikipedia +2; Al Jazeera).
As tensions escalate and hostilities expand, the risk of an extended military conflict increases significantly. Despite growing international pressure for dialogue, both parties remain entrenched despite growing international intervention; whether or not chaos ensues will ultimately depend on whether we find ways to de-escalate before more lives are lost.