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Business Recorder
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting along their border?
BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worst fighting in over a decade, exchanging heavy artillery fire across their disputed border, with at least 16 people killed and tens of thousands displaced. Tensions began rising between the Southeast Asian neighbours in May, following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, and have steadily escalated since, triggering diplomatic spats and now, armed clashes. What is the current situation? Clashes broke out between the two countries early on Thursday along a disputed area abutting an ancient temple, rapidly spilling over to other areas along the contested frontier and heavy artillery exchanges continuing for a second straight day. Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh on Wednesday and expelled Cambodia's envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia called that accusation baseless. Both sides accuse each other of firing the first shots that started the conflict on Thursday, which have so far claimed the lives of at least 15 civilians, most of them on the Thai side. Cambodia has deployed truck-mounted rocket launchers, which Thailand says have been used to target civilian areas, while the Thai armed forces despatched US-made F-16 fighter jets, using one to bomb military targets across the border. Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery as fighting rages for a second day Some 130,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in Thailand to safer locations, while some 12,000 families on the Cambodian side have been shifted away from the frontlines, according to local authorities. Where does the dispute originate? Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. That map, which Thailand later contested, was based on an agreement that the border would be demarcated along the natural watershed line between the two countries. In 2000, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Boundary Commission to peacefully address overlapping claims, but little progress has been made towards settling disputes. China says it is 'deeply concerned' over Thailand-Cambodia clash Claims over ownership of historical sites have raised nationalist tension between the two countries, notably in 2003 when rioters torched the Thai embassy and Thai businesses in Phnom Penh over an alleged remark by a Thai celebrity questioning jurisdiction over Cambodia's World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat temple. What were previous flashpoints? An 11th century Hindu temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, has been at the heart of the dispute for decades, with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh claiming historical ownership. The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand has continued to lay claim to the surrounding land. Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Two years later, Cambodia sought interpretation of the 1962 verdict and the ICJ again ruled in its favour, saying the land around the temple was also part of Cambodia and ordering Thai troops to withdraw. What's behind recent troubles? Despite the historic rivalry, the current governments of Thailand and Cambodia enjoy warm ties, partly due to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen. But nationalist sentiment has risen in Thailand after conservatives last year questioned the government's plan to negotiate with Cambodia to jointly explore energy resources in undemarcated maritime areas, warning such a move could risk Thailand losing the island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand. Tensions also rose in February when a group of Cambodians escorted by troops sang their national anthem at another ancient Hindu temple that both countries claim, Ta Moan Thom, before being stopped by Thai soldiers. An effort by then Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, to de-escalate the situation in a call last month with Hun Sen spectacularly backfired after a recording of the conversation was initially leaked and later released in full by the Cambodian leader. In the call, the 38-year-old prime minister appeared to criticize a Thai army commander and kowtow to Hun Sen, drawing public fury and a complaint from a group of senators, which led to her suspension by a court order on July 1. Have there been any resolution efforts? After the May 28 clash, both countries quickly promised to ease tension, prevent more conflict and seek dialogue via their joint border commission at a June 14 meeting. The neighbours have issued diplomatically worded statements committing to peace while vowing to protect sovereignty, but their militaries have been mobilising near the border. Cambodia, meanwhile, said existing mechanisms were not working and it planned to refer disputes in four border areas to the ICJ to settle 'unresolved and sensitive' issues that it said could escalate tensions. Thailand has not recognised the ICJ's rulings on the row and wants to settle it bilaterally. Since Thursday's clashes, Cambodia has written to the United Nations Security Council, urging the body to convene a meeting to stop what it describes as 'unprovoked and premeditated military aggression' by Thailand. Thailand, on the other hand, wants to resolve the conflict through bilateral negotiations but says talks can only take place after Cambodia ceases violence.
The Star
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Explainer-Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting along their border?
BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worstfighting in over a decade, exchanging heavy artillery fire across their disputed border, with at least 16 people killed and tens of thousands displaced. Tensions began rising between the Southeast Asian neighbours in May, following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, and have steadily escalated since, triggering diplomatic spats and now, armed clashes. WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION? Clashes broke out between the two countries early on Thursday along a disputed area abutting an ancient temple, rapidly spilling over to other areas along the contested frontier and heavy artillery exchanges continuing for a second straight day. Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh on Wednesday and expelled Cambodia's envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia called that accusation baseless. Both sides accuse each other of firing the first shots that started the conflict on Thursday, which have so far claimed the lives of at least 15 civilians, most of them on the Thai side. Cambodia has deployed truck-mounted rocket launchers, which Thailand says have been used to target civilian areas, while the Thai armed forces despatchedUS-made F-16 fighter jets, using one to bomb military targets across the border. Some 130,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in Thailand to safer locations, while some 12,000 families on the Cambodian side have been shifted away from the frontlines, according to local authorities. WHERE DOES THE DISPUTE ORIGINATE? Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. That map, which Thailand later contested, was based on an agreement that the border would be demarcated along the natural watershed line between the two countries. In 2000, the two countries agreed to establish a Joint Boundary Commission to peacefully address overlapping claims, but little progress has been made towards settling disputes. Claims over ownership of historical sites have raised nationalist tension between the two countries, notably in 2003 when rioters torched the Thai embassy and Thai businesses in Phnom Penh over an alleged remark by a Thai celebrity questioning jurisdiction over Cambodia's World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat temple. WHAT WERE PREVIOUS FLASHPOINTS? An 11th century Hindu temple called Preah Vihear, or Khao Phra Viharn in Thailand, has been at the heart of the dispute for decades, with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh claiming historical ownership. The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand has continued to lay claim to the surrounding land. Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011. Two years later, Cambodia sought interpretation of the 1962 verdict and the ICJ again ruled in its favour, saying the land around the temple was also part of Cambodia and ordering Thai troops to withdraw. WHAT'S BEHIND RECENT TROUBLES? Despite the historic rivalry, the current governments of Thailand and Cambodia enjoy warm ties, partly due to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand'sThaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen. But nationalist sentiment has risen in Thailand after conservatives last year questioned the government's plan to negotiate with Cambodia to jointly explore energy resources in undemarcated maritime areas, warning such a move could risk Thailand losing the island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand. Tensions also rose in February when a group of Cambodians escorted by troops sang their national anthem at another ancient Hindu temple that both countries claim, Ta Moan Thom, before being stopped by Thai soldiers. An effort by then Thai premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, to de-escalate the situation in a call last month with Hun Sen spectacularly backfired after a recording of the conversation was initially leaked and later released in full by the Cambodian leader. In the call, the 38-year-old prime minister appeared to criticize a Thai army commander and kowtow to Hun Sen, drawing public fury and a complaint from a group of senators, which led to her suspension by a court order on July 1. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RESOLUTION EFFORTS? After the May 28 clash, both countries quickly promised to ease tension, prevent more conflict and seek dialogue via their joint border commission at a June 14 meeting. The neighbours have issued diplomatically worded statements committing to peace while vowing to protect sovereignty, but their militaries have been mobilising near the border. Cambodia, meanwhile, said existing mechanisms were not working and it planned to refer disputes in four border areas to the ICJ to settle "unresolved and sensitive" issues that it said could escalate tensions. Thailand has not recognised the ICJ's rulings on the row and wants to settle it bilaterally. Since Thursday's clashes, Cambodia has written to the United Nations Security Council, urging the body to convene a meeting to stop what it describes as "unprovoked and premeditated military aggression" by Thailand. Thailand, on the other hand, wants to resolve the conflict through bilateral negotiations but says talks can only take place after Cambodia ceases violence. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Martin Petty, Kate Mayberry and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Mint
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Thailand Seeks More Talks With Cambodia as Border Row Lingers
(Bloomberg) -- Thailand called for more bilateral talks with Cambodia to resolve a simmering border dispute after Phnom Penh threatened to permanently shut land crossings between the two countries and halt Thai imports. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Monday she's proposed to Cambodian leader Hun Manet that more military level talks be convened to find ways to ease the border tension. A meeting of Thai and Cambodian officials over the weekend did not discuss the dispute, with the two sides struggling to arrive at any decision on how to resolve their differences. The so-called Joint Boundary Commission will next meet in September, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Sunday. Tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations heightened following an exchange of gunfire between troops on May 28 in the disputed Chong Bok border area, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Both countries have built-up troops along the border and shortened the operational hours of several land crossings that act as vital trade links. Cambodia has requested the International Court of Justice in The Hague intervene to resolve the border disputes it has with Thailand. Bangkok has said it does not recognize the organization's jurisdiction. On Monday, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called for a complete shutdown of the border crossings and suspension of Thai goods imports if Bangkok didn't fully lift the restrictions of cross-border movements. Hun Sen, who is Hun Manet's father, has taken to social media to attack Thailand's stance even as bilateral talks were underway. Last week, Hun Manet reportedly instructed officials to cut Internet and electricity connections with Thailand. The two countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. Paetongtarn, who chaired a meeting of senior Thai ministers and military officials on Monday, slammed Cambodia for 'unprofessional communications,' saying such messaging via social media, have caused 'chaos' and negatively impacted both countries. The meeting agreed to set up a panel headed by the deputy minister of defense to monitor the border situation, she told reporters. The Thai premier said cross-border curbs were necessitated by the presence of long-range weapons on the Cambodian side. Phnom Penh's threat to shut the borders will affect people from both countries, she added. Paetongtarn urged Thais to stand behind the government and the military, which she said are in complete agreement regarding strategy and communicate regularly. 'We're not fighting among ourselves. We're protecting our sovereignty and our messages show that we're united,' she said. 'We will not tolerate being bullied, accused or threatened. We're a nation with pride and strength.' More stories like this are available on
Kuwait Times
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Thailand and Cambodia seek to ease simmering border tensions
Thailand and Cambodia seek to ease simmering border tensions Troops mobilized at border after deadly skirmish BANGKOK: Thai and Cambodian officials met on Saturday to try to ease tensions amid fears of military clashes after a long-running territorial dispute reignited, leading both countries to mobilize troops on the border. The two neighbors share an 820-km land border, parts of which are undemarcated and include ancient temples that both sides have contested for decades. The latest standoff followed a brief skirmish on May 28 that left a Cambodian soldier dead. 'The Thai government hopes to use the platform to resolve the situation peacefully,' Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted about the meeting on her Facebook page on Friday. The row comes at a challenging time for Thailand's government, which is losing popularity in prolonged struggle to spur economic growth. Paetongtarn's administration is under pressure to take a tougher stand on Cambodia, accompanied by initially strong rhetoric from the Thai military. Despite both countries pledging dialogue to handle the issue and to calm nationalist fervor, Bangkok has threatened to close the border and cut off electricity supplies to its neighbor. Phnom Penh announced it would cease buying Thai electric power, internet bandwidth and produce. It has also ordered local television stations not to screen Thai films. Resolution unlikely A resolution this weekend at the Joint Boundary Commission meeting in Phnom Penh is not expected, and it was unclear when the outcome would be announced. Cambodia is determined to file a case at the International Court of Justice to determine jurisdiction over four disputed areas, while Thailand insists on a bilateral solution. 'Cambodia wants to settle the disputes at the ICJ, something that Thailand won't accept,' said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asian studies expert at Thammasat University in Bangkok. 'So there's not much left to discuss at JBC apart from maintaining an atmosphere for further dialogue.' Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Friday his country would not discuss the four contested areas at the boundary commission, adding the government would send an official letter to the ICJ on Sunday on its plan to file the case. Influential former strongman premier Hun Sen, Hun Manet's father, has criticized Thailand's military for restricting border crossings and has accused generals and Thai nationalists of fanning the tensions. 'Only extremist groups and some military factions are behind these issues with Cambodia because, as usual, the Thai government is unable to control its military the way our country can,' he said late on Thursday. — Reuters
Barnama
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
No Major Outcome On First Day Cambodia-Thai Border Talks
Minister in Charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs of Cambodia Lam Chea (right) and Thai Border Affairs Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prasas Prasasvinitchai. Photo credit: Agence Kampuchea Presse The sixth Joint Boundary Commission meeting between Cambodia and Thailand taking place in Phnom Penh on Saturday. Photo 1 caption: The sixth Joint Boundary Commission meeting between Cambodia and Thailand taking place in Phnom Penh on Saturday. Photo credit: Agence Kampuchea Presse By Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Bernama) -- The first round of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary (JBC) meeting concluded in Phnom Penh without any breakthrough. Both parties are expected to resume the negotiations of the sixth commission meeting on Sunday morning, according to the state media Agence Kampuchea Presse. bootstrap slideshow 'JBC meeting in Phnom Penh was temporarily closed at almost 4 pm and with both sides resuming the meeting on June 15, 2025,' said the state media. The ongoing JBC meeting is the first in 12 years. The closed-door dialogue was chaired by Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the Secretariat of State for Border Affairs of Cambodia. The Thai delegation was led by Prasas Prasasvinitchai, an adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of border affairs. This was the first formal diplomatic dialogue since tensions erupted on May 28, when Cambodian and Thai troops clashed briefly near Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province area. A 48-year-old Cambodian sergeant was killed in the incident. Both neighbours have been engaged in a decades-long dispute over their undemarcated 817-kilometre land border.
