BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Cambodia’s influential Senate President Hun Sen issued an uncompromising warning on Tuesday, vowing that his country would mount a fierce military response against Thailand as renewed fighting along their shared frontier entered a second day. The clashes, which erupted after a brief skirmish on Sunday, have already driven tens of thousands of people from their homes and revived one of Southeast Asia’s most enduring border disputes.
The latest violence shattered a fragile ceasefire established in July after intense battles over contested territory left dozens dead and forced more than 100,000 civilians to flee. Sunday’s exchange, which injured two Thai soldiers, quickly spiraled into sustained artillery fire, drone strikes and counterattacks that spread across multiple border districts.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul made clear on Tuesday that his government had received no outreach from Cambodia about possible negotiations. “We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” he said, insisting that Bangkok would continue “all kinds of military operations as planned earlier.” He argued the offensive was necessary to protect national sovereignty and ensure public safety.
Hun Sen, in statements published on Facebook and Telegram, claimed Cambodia had held back from responding on Monday but launched counterattacks overnight, saying his forces would “weaken and destroy enemy forces through counterattacks.” Though he formally stepped down as prime minister in 2023, Hun Sen remains Cambodia’s dominant political figure and an architect of its security strategy.
Thailand accused Cambodia on Tuesday of unleashing artillery, rocket barrages and drone strikes on Thai military positions. Cambodian officials countered that Thailand had initiated attacks over the past two days. Both governments claim the other fired the first shots, and neither appears ready to de-escalate.
Cambodia’s military said Tuesday that seven civilians had been killed and 20 wounded since the new round of fighting began. Thailand reported three soldiers killed during the same period. On Monday, Thai forces carried out airstrikes along the frontier that Bangkok described as “defensive action” targeting enemy military facilities. Rear Adm. Surasant Kongsiri said those operations would continue “until attacks stop.”
As artillery thundered across the border, families on both sides scrambled for safety. A university campus in Surin Province in northeastern Thailand is now home to more than 3,600 evacuees. People sleep on thin mats or inside small tents arranged in rows across the floor. At mealtime, some line up with metal plates to receive steamed rice, while others are given ready-to-eat meals sealed in plastic bags. An army band plays to help ease the tension.
Despite daytime heat, portable fans keep the shelter tolerably cool, while stacks of blankets help families cope with night temperatures that can fall to 18°C (64°F). “We were preparing to evacuate. We hadn’t left yet,” said cassava farmer Pan-ngam Kanchangthong. “When we heard shots, we hurried out immediately. I was scared — who wouldn’t be scared of shelling?”
Thai authorities say nearly 500 temporary shelters have been established in four border provinces, housing more than 125,000 people. Many others are staying with relatives in safer towns.
Across the border in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province, thousands of families have taken refuge in makeshift shelters, including a repurposed market where evacuees sleep under tarps or on wooden platforms. “I felt terrified when I heard the sound of the explosion from the shelling,” said 44-year-old garment worker Vach Neang, a father of seven who rushed home after learning his children could not be reached. With explosions growing louder, his factory closed early. “I packed just a few clothes and left,” he said. Cambodian officials say nearly 55,000 people have been evacuated so far.
The two nations share a long and troubled history. Their rivalry dates back centuries to periods when both were powerful regional empires. Today, much of their border remains disputed, including areas that contain ancient temples treasured by both sides. Although Thailand has the larger and more advanced military, Cambodia has frequently demonstrated that localized terrain advantages and entrenched positions can prolong confrontations.
The July ceasefire, mediated by Malaysia and bolstered by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump—who threatened to withdraw trade benefits unless both sides agreed—temporarily halted the violence. A follow-up agreement signed in October required the removal of heavy weapons from the border, a commitment to curb incendiary rhetoric, coordinated mine-removal operations, and broader measures to rebuild trust.
Many of those obligations went unfulfilled. Both governments continued spreading conflicting narratives and propaganda online, and small clashes persisted. The borderland, still littered with land mines from Cambodia’s long civil war, remains highly volatile.
Tensions deepened over the fate of 18 Cambodian prisoners held by Thailand. Cambodia insists they were detained illegally on the same day the July ceasefire took effect. Thailand maintains they acted in a threatening manner near Thai positions. Cambodia has repeatedly denied the accusation and demanded their release.
Thailand, meanwhile, accuses Cambodia of planting new land mines that injured several Thai soldiers — an allegation Cambodia rejects, arguing the explosives were remnants from earlier conflicts. The issue prompted Thailand earlier this month to announce an indefinite pause in implementing the ceasefire agreement until Cambodia offers an apology.
As the crisis enters its third day, prospects for diplomacy appear bleak. With rising casualties, growing displacement and hardened rhetoric in both capitals, the border between Thailand and Cambodia remains one of the region’s most dangerous flashpoints — and neither government is signaling readiness to stand down.
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