Thailand warns of 100,000 civilians fleeing amid fierce Cambodia clashes
Escalated border clash forces mass exodus and raises international alarm
Hundreds of thousands displaced as fighting erupts across the Thailand‑Cambodia frontier
Ayutthaya‑based interior ministry reported that over 100,000 people from four contested provinces have been relocated to nearly 300 temporary shelters. The health authority confirmed a rising death toll at 14 fatalities, consisting of 13 civilians and a single soldier.
- Eight direct confrontations identified by the Thai army, including engagement around two ancient temples.
- Both sides reported reciprocal artillery fire, with Cambodian rockets striking Thai civilian sites such as a petrol station and a hospital.
- Thai forces deployed F‑16 jets to target Cambodian military positions across the border.
International diplomatic response seeks immediate cessation
The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency session for Friday at the request of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to debate the crisis.
- United States and France called for an “immediate” end to hostilities.
- European Union and China expressed deep concern and urged for dialogue.
Background of the dispute
Thailand and Cambodia share an 800‑kilometre (500‑mile) frontier with overlapping claims across several kilometres. Previously unresolved tensions led to hostilities between 2008 and 2011, resulting in at least 28 deaths and tens of thousands displaced. A 2013 UN court ruling had settled the matter for over a decade, but the current conflict erupted in May following the death of a Cambodian soldier in a new clash.
Current escalation and diplomatic fallout
Following an earlier incident where five Thai military patrol members were wounded by a landmine, Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy. Cambodia responded by downgrading ties to the lowest level, removing all but one of its diplomats and expelling Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh.
Key facts and figures
- Displaced population: over 100,000
- Death toll: 14 (13 civilians, 1 soldier)
- Fighting sites: 6 direct confrontations
- International engagement: UN Security Council emergency session scheduled for Friday
