Exchange of Fire Between Two Nations, 3 Thai Civilians Wounded
Thailand and Cambodia are currently embroiled in an armed confrontation amid a worsening disagreement over a long-disputed section of their mutual boundary. The most recent outbreak of violence occurred on Thursday morning near two historic temples situated along the border between Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey.
As per the Thai military, hostilities began at around 7:35 a.m. when soldiers stationed at the Ta Muen temple spotted a Cambodian drone flying nearby. Soon after, six armed Cambodian troops—one reportedly equipped with a rocket-propelled grenade—moved toward a barbed-wire barrier close to a Thai army post. Thai forces assert that the Cambodian side opened fire first, sparking an intense exchange.
Thailand additionally accused Cambodia of “deliberately targeting civilians,” stating that two BM-21 rockets landed in a residential area of Surin’s Kap Choeng district, causing injuries to three civilians.
Cambodia, on the other hand, placed the blame on Thailand for igniting the confrontation. “The Thai military breached the territorial sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cambodia by launching an armed offensive against Cambodian personnel deployed to defend national borders,” said defense ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata. She emphasized that Cambodian troops acted in self-defence, as per international law, to push back the Thai advance and safeguard Cambodia’s territorial rights.
This clash is the latest incident in a decades-long disagreement over the Emerald Triangle—a geopolitically crucial area where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos intersect. The region, known for its ancient temples, has seen frequent armed disputes—most significantly over 15 years ago, and more recently in May this year, when a Cambodian soldier lost his life.
