Thai & Cambodian soldiers fire at each other; 3 civilians hurt in rocket strike: All you need to know

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia boiled over into violence on Thursday morning, as soldiers from both sides exchanged gunfire near the disputed Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple along their shared border. The Thai army reported that three Thai civilians were injured in the strike.

The Cambodian foreign ministry accused Thai troops of firing first, while the Thai army said it returned fire after spotting six armed Cambodian soldiers and hearing a drone overhead.

The firefight, which occurred in Surin province (Thailand) and Oddar Meanchey province (Cambodia), was accompanied by blasts that sent local residents fleeing into bunkers. A Thai army statement confirmed that no casualties were reported but added that field artillery had been used in response.

The clashes came just hours after Cambodia officially downgraded diplomatic relations with Thailand and recalled its embassy staff from Bangkok. This was in retaliation for Thailand’s decision to expel the Cambodian ambassador and shut several border crossings after a land mine blast wounded five Thai soldiers earlier this week.

Diplomatic relations collapse amid land mine accusations

Ties between the two Southeast Asian neighbours have unravelled rapidly since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish over contested territory. But recent events have deepened the standoff.

• Thai officials claim the land mines that injured its soldiers were newly planted in Ubon Ratchathani province.
• Cambodia has denied the allegation, calling it “baseless” and insisting the blast occurred inside its Preah Vihear province.
• “The explosion took place on Cambodian territory,” said Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata.

Thailand has accused Cambodia of breaching the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines and called for responsibility, but Phnom Penh maintains many mines are remnants of past wars.

Border sealed, economic and cultural ties fraying

The military standoff has triggered sweeping punitive measures from both sides, with bilateral relations now described as the worst in over a decade.

Cambodia has banned imports of Thai fruits, vegetables, electricity, internet, and cultural content including Thai dramas.
Thailand has restricted land crossings into Cambodia, blocked tourist travel for gambling, and suspended internet services used by Cambodian authorities.

Despite these restrictions, exemptions are being considered on humanitarian grounds.

• The crisis has also rocked Thai politics. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is under fire after a leaked call with Cambodia’s ex-leader Hun Sen, in which she called him “uncle” and dismissed a Thai commander as someone who “just wanted to look cool”. Critics accused her of undermining the military, and a key coalition partner has since exited her government.

The roots of the border dispute stretch back over a century, to when colonial-era maps were drawn following France’s occupation of Cambodia.

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