Thai and Cambodian troops have engaged in a violent confrontation at a disputed border area, according to Thailand’s military. The incident occurred at the Ta Moan Thom temple, located on the shared border in northwestern Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey Province, early Thursday morning. The Thai military reported that Cambodian troops fired shots in the area before sending heavily armed troops to the scene, and Cambodia had deployed a surveillance drone previously.
This recent clash is part of an ongoing border dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, which has led to tensions and military clashes in the past. In May, a similar border dispute escalated into clashes, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Since then, the dispute has soured relations between the two countries, with both sides engaging in retaliatory measures, such as the closure of border crossings. Cambodia has also blocked Thai fuel, gas, fruit, and vegetable imports.
The situation worsened when a Thai soldier sustained injuries and lost his right leg in a landmine incident. In response, Thailand’s governing Pheu Thai Party recalled Thailand’s ambassador to Cambodia and announced the expulsion of Cambodia’s ambassador from Thailand. Thailand also downgraded diplomatic relations with Cambodia.
Cambodia has since withdrawn all of its diplomats from Thailand and ordered all Thai diplomats to leave the country. The Cambodian government has also downgraded diplomatic relations with Thailand to the lowest level, reducing it to the rank of “second secretary.” Thailand had previously accused Cambodia of placing landmines on the Thai side of the disputed border area after three soldiers were injured during a patrol. Cambodia claims that the soldiers veered off agreed routes and triggered a mine left from past conflicts.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/24/thai-military-reports-clash-with-cambodian-troops-at-disputed-border-area?traffic_source=rss
