Combating between Thailand and Cambodia spreads alongside contested border

[ad_1] Cambodia and Thailand blame one another for beginning clashes Ceasefire brokered by Trump after preventing in July in danger Each nations evacuate a whole bunch of hundreds from border areas BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Combating between Cambodia and Thailand escalated alongside their contested border on Tuesday, because the Southeast Asian neighbours each mentioned they'd not again down in defending their sovereignty.

With both sides blaming the other for beginning Monday's renewed clashes, it was unclear how or if a fragile ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump in July could possibly be salvaged. Enroll <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-cambodia-fighting-spreads-along-contested-border-2025-12-09/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fasia-pacific%2Fthailand-cambodia-fighting-spreads-along-contested-border-2025-12-09%2F" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">here.

Cambodia's influential former chief Hun Sen mentioned his nation waited 24 hours to honour the ceasefire and permit for evacuations earlier than launching counterattacks in a single day in opposition to Thai forces.

"Cambodia wants peace, however Cambodia is compelled to counterattack to defend our territory," he mentioned in a Fb submit, saying sturdy bunkers and weapons gave Cambodian forces the benefit in defending in opposition to an "invading enemy".

In Thailand, army officers mentioned there have been clashes in 5 border provinces, and a Navy-led operation in its Trat Province to expel Cambodian troopers was anticipated to finish quickly. They mentioned Cambodia was utilizing artillery, rocket launchers, and bomb-dropping drones to assault Thai forces.

"Thailand is decided to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and subsequently army measures should be taken as vital," Defence Ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri informed the media briefing the place different army officers additionally spoke.

Cambodia's Defence Ministry accused Thailand of "brutal and illegal actions", saying 9 civilians have been killed since Monday and 20 critically injured. Thai officers mentioned three troopers had died within the preventing and 29 folks had been injured.

Merchandise 1 of 5 Displaced folks collect inside a brief shelter amid lethal clashes between Thailand and Cambodia alongside a disputed border space, in Buriram province, Thailand, December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

[1/5] Displaced folks collect inside a brief shelter amid lethal clashes between Thailand and Cambodia alongside a disputed border space, in Buriram province, Thailand, December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha <a data-testid="Link" target="_blank" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/fighting-between-thailand-and-cambodia-spreads-along-contested-border/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjU6bmV3c21sX1JDMlRDSUFaQTQyWA%3D%3D/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead" rel="noopener" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76 collapsible-caption-module__license__CPQvV">Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Hun Sen's son, mentioned late on Monday that Thailand "should not use army power to assault civilian villages beneath the pretext of reclaiming its sovereignty".

This map exhibits places of army clashes alongside the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia. Each nations mentioned they'd evacuated a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals from border areas.

Tensions have simmered since Thailand final month <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-halt-implementation-ceasefire-deal-with-cambodia-will-inform-washington-2025-11-11/" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">suspended de-escalation measures that have been agreed at a summit overseen by Trump , after a Thai soldier was maimed by a landmine that Bangkok mentioned Cambodia had lately laid. Monday's clashes have been the fiercest since a five-day trade of rockets and heavy artillery in July, when no less than 48 folks have been killed and 300,000 displaced, earlier than Trump intervened to dealer a ceasefire . In Might, tensions rose following the killing of a Cambodian soldier throughout a skirmish, which led to a serious troop buildup on the border and escalated into diplomatic breakdowns and armed clashes . Thailand has superior military capabilities , with armed forces that dwarf its neighbour when it comes to personnel, price range and weaponry, and fighter jets which have been finishing up air strikes to assist its floor forces. Thailand and Cambodia have for greater than a century contested sovereignty at undemarcated factors alongside their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with disputes over historical temples stirring nationalist fervour and occasional armed flare-ups, together with a lethal week-long artillery trade in 2011. Reporting by Reuters workers; Writing by John Mair; Modifying by Michael Perry