Thailand has launched airstrikes along its disputed border with Cambodia, escalating tensions after a ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump collapsed. The renewed clashes have killed four Cambodian civilians and at least one Thai soldier, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Thailand's military said the airstrikes were launched after one of its soldiers was killed and four wounded in fighting on Monday morning. The Thai air force accused Cambodia of mobilising heavy weaponry and repositioning combat units, while Cambodia's defence ministry blamed Thailand for the escalation, claiming its forces had attacked first.
Cambodia's information minister, Neth Pheaktra, reported four civilian deaths in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces. The fighting follows a fragile ceasefire agreed six weeks ago after a five-day war in July that killed at least 48 people and displaced 300,000. Thailand suspended the deal in November, accusing Cambodia of laying new landmines.
Gen Chaiyapruek Duangprapat, the Thai army's chief of staff, said the goal was to cripple Cambodia's military capability. Cambodia's former prime minister Hun Sen urged restraint, warning Thailand was trying to 'pull us into retaliation'. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied initiating conflict but vowed not to tolerate sovereignty violations.
More than 385,000 civilians have been ordered to evacuate from Thai border areas, with about 50,000 in shelters. On the Cambodian side, 1,157 families have been moved to safety. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who helped broker the original ceasefire, urged both sides to avoid escalation, warning it risked 'unravelling the careful work' of stabilising relations.
The border dispute dates back over a century to French colonial mapping. Tensions flared in May after a brief exchange of fire killed a Cambodian soldier, escalating into July's conflict. Trump's intervention, backed by Malaysia and China, secured a ceasefire, but it has remained fragile, with both sides trading accusations of violations.
