The renewed hostilities involve heavy artillery, rocket fire, and airstrikes across multiple contested zones near ancient temple sites.
Origins of the Territorial Dispute
The current military standoff stems from a century-old border disagreement rooted in colonial-era maps drawn by French authorities in the early 20th century. Disputed sectors center on the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site that the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in a 1962 ruling. Thailand has never fully accepted the legal demarcation, leading to periodic flare-ups in surrounding regions, including the Ta Muen Thom Temple, Ta Krabey Temple, and undemarcated forests across Oddar Meanchey and Surin provinces.
Tensions intensified prior to the July outbreak. According to regional reports, a Cambodian soldier was killed during a border skirmish near Preah Vihear on May 28, prompting Cambodia to file a formal complaint with the International Court of Justice in June seeking intervention and demarcation of four disputed border zones. Thailand rejected court jurisdiction, advocating instead for bilateral negotiations.
Escalation and Military Tactics
Fighting began on July 24, 2025. The Thai Armed Forces Headquarters stated that clashes erupted around 8:20 a.m. near the contested Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin province, with both nations accusing the other of initiating the hostilities. The violence quickly spread to six different locations across Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, and Buriram provinces in Thailand, as well as Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces in Cambodia.
The military engagement rapidly expanded to include heavy weaponry. Cambodian forces deployed BM-21 rocket systems and cross-border artillery shelling, while the Royal Thai Armed Forces retaliated with tank units, artillery, and F-16 fighter jet airstrikes. Human Rights Watch reported that Thai forces used cluster munitions during the engagement. A Royal Thai Army press release and military spokesperson defended the deployment on July 25, stating that cluster munitions were utilized when necessary against military objectives in adherence to the legal principle of proportionality. While neither country is a party to the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, Human Rights Watch criticized the use of such weapons in populated areas.
Casualties and Humanitarian Impact
The human toll of the two-day escalation has forced mass evacuations and the closure of essential public infrastructure. According to Thailand’s Public Health Ministry, Cambodian rocket and artillery strikes hit a hospital, a supermarket, and residential areas on July 25, killing 14 civilians—including children aged 8 and 15—and wounding 31 others. Thai authorities subsequently evacuated more than 100,000 residents from border zones and closed at least 852 schools and 7 hospitals.
On the Cambodian side, the provincial spokesperson for Oddar Meanchey reported that one civilian was killed and five others were injured. Human Rights Watch geolocated social media drone imagery confirming structural damage to buildings and a Buddhist pagoda in Oddar Meanchey’s Kok Mon commune, where local officials stated a man was killed by a Thai rocket while seeking shelter. Additionally, Cambodian government agencies alleged that Thai airstrikes damaged the Preah Vihear Temple complex.
Regional and Economic Fallout
The renewed warfare has severed cross-border economic ties and triggered immediate diplomatic fallout. Both nations have expelled ambassadors and closed major land border crossings. Cambodia banned imports of Thai media, fuel, and consumer goods, while Thai officials threatened to restrict electricity and water supplies to neighboring regions. Border trade across Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Oddar Meanchey has ground to a halt, disrupting daily wage laborers and local food supply chains.
International bodies have urged an immediate cessation of hostilities. The United Nations Security Council, United Nations Secretary-General, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called for urgent de-escalation, urging both governments to return to diplomatic channels and protect civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law.