Cambodia calls for ‘immediate ceasefire' with Thailand as deadly clashes enter a third day

The Guardian

3 days ago

Cambodia wants an 'immediate ceasefire' with Thailand, the country's envoy to the United Nations has said, as fighting that has left 32 people dead continued for its third consecutive day
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the clashes, which are the bloodiest in more than a decade, and have claimed 19 lives in Thailand and 13 in Cambodia.
Cambodia's UN ambassador made the ceasefire call after an emergency meeting held behind closed doors late on Friday in New York. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Thailand's envoy to the UN urged Cambodia to 'immediately cease all hostilities and acts of aggression, and resume dialogue in good faith'.
A long-running border dispute between the two countries erupted into intense fighting on Thursday, with heavy artillery and airstrikes, prompting the UN Secretary-General to call for the 'utmost restraint'. Malaysia, which chairs the regional bloc that includes both countries, called for either side to stand down and offered to mediate. The US and China have also expressed concern over the developments.
'Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire – unconditionally – and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,' Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo said after the UN meeting.
On Saturday morning, the Cambodian ministry of national defence accused Thailand of firing five heavy artillery shells into multiple locations in Pursat Province, on the southern side of their shared border, saying it condemned such 'unprovoked and premeditated act of aggression'.
Thailand accused Cambodia of initiating an attack in neighbouring Trat province, and said that Thai naval forces had successfully pushed back 'the incursion' by 05.40am.
Cambodia and Thailand's border dispute dates back more than a century to disagreements over colonial-era maps. Tensions have been running high since May, when a Cambodian solider was killed a brief exchange of fire, but escalated further this week when Thai solders were injured by landmines, which Thai officials claimed had been freshly planted – an allegation Cambodia has denied.
Thailand responded by recalling its ambassador to Cambodia, and saying it would expel Cambodia's envoy in Bangkok, and, on Thursday morning fighting erupted at multiple points along the border. Both sides blamed each other for opening fire first, and have accused the other side of violating international norms.
In Thailand 19 people have been killed, including 13 civilians and six soldiers, while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded. In Cambodia, officials reported 12 further deaths, five soldiers and eight civilians, bringing its death toll to 13.
More than 138,000 people have been evacuated from Thailand's border regions, its health ministry said, with families sheltering at temples, schools and at municipality centres. Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border.
Thailand's foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told AFP that Bangkok was open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia.
'We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response,' Nikorndej told AFP, speaking before the UN meeting had been held.
Earlier, acting Thai prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai had warned that if the situation escalated, 'it could develop into war.'
'For now, it remains limited to clashes,' he told reporters in Bangkok, adding that Thailand was taking action to 'protect our land and the sovereignty of our nation.'
Both countries have traded blame over the clashes. Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket. Cambodia has accused Thailand of using cluster munitions.
Dozens of kilometres in several areas of the 800km border are contested. Fighting previously broke out between 2008 and 2011, leaving at least 28 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.
The latest dispute has been exacerbated by a feud that has broken out between the fathers of the prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand. Hun Sen, an authoritarian ruler who handed power to his son Hun Manet in 2023, and Thailand's former populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra, whose daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra became prime minister in 2024, both remain highly influential in their countries. They were once considered close friends but are now embroiled in a bitter dispute, trading insults, threats and counter claims on social media.
Thaksin visited Ubon Ratchathani, in northeastern Thailand, on Saturday morning, and denied the families' feud was the cause of the clashes, according to local media reports. He condemned Cambodia's actions as 'appalling' and said attacks from the Thai side followed strict protocols and were targeted at military sites.