Third Day of Thailand-Cambodia Border Clashes; Thousands Relocated to Safe Shelters

Officials from the two Southeast Asian neighbors have accused each other of restarting the conflict. At least 13 soldiers and civilians have been killed in the ongoing clashes.

Thailand’s Ministry of Defense spokesperson Surasat Kangsiri told reporters, “Over 400,000 people across seven provinces have been relocated to safe shelters. Dangerous conditions have forced a large-scale evacuation to protect civilians.”

Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense spokesperson Mali Socheta said, “In five provinces, 101,229 people have been relocated to safe shelters and to relatives’ homes.”

Both militaries have accused each other of airstrikes and rocket attacks. Thai media reported that Cambodian F-16 jets attacked border areas, while 12 border areas in Thailand were targeted by Cambodian shelling.

Thousands of people in border provinces have been forced to leave their homes, seeking refuge in temporary shelters with limited resources like tarps and paper.

This week’s clashes are more severe than the July conflict, which caused significant damage over five days and displaced around 300,000 people in border areas.

During the clashes, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would contact the leaders of both countries to help end the conflict. However, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangket told reporters that there is no possibility of ceasefire talks and that Thailand did not start the fighting. Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense stated its troops had no alternative and accused Thailand of targeting civilian areas, which Thailand denied.

Human Rights Watch’s Sunai Phasuk said, “The conflict between the two countries is rapidly intensifying, and Cambodia has indiscriminately used long-range weapons. This poses a serious threat to civilians.”

The border clashes and mutual accusations have further strained Thailand-Cambodia relations. Recently, Cambodia withdrew from the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand due to serious security concerns.

The root cause of the bilateral conflict is the 800 km colonial-era border and competing claims over historical temples, leading to renewed armed confrontation.