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Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Thailand-Cambodia clash intensifies with rocket strikes: What triggered it? How a Hindu temple is at the centre of it
Fighter jets, landmines, and diplomatic expulsions marked the sharpest escalation in years over a dispute that stretches back over a century and at the centre of it lies the 11th century Preah Vihear Hindu temple. The long-simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia flared into deadly violence once again on Thursday, as both nations exchanged fire along their contested border. At least nine civilians were killed, Several Thai civilians were killed in Si Sa Ket province when explosions rang out near a gas station, while at least 14 others were injured across three border provinces. Thai jets responded with airstrikes on Cambodian positions near the temple. Cambodia's defence ministry accused Thailand of bombing roads near Preah Vihear. Clashes continue in at least six areas along the border. The incident follows weeks of rising tensions after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May, and two Thai soldiers lost limbs in separate landmine blasts in July. As diplomatic ties crumbled, both nations expelled each other's ambassadors and recalled their envoys, blaming each other for unprovoked aggression and breaches of sovereignty. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Preah Vihear: Sacred ground and political faultline The 11th century Preah Vihear temple, perched atop the Dangrek mountain range, is more than a stunning monument of Khmer architecture — it is a longstanding symbol of national pride and dispute. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the temple lies within Cambodian territory, citing a 1907 French-drawn map based on an agreement to follow the watershed line. Thailand contested the map's validity, claiming it had not accepted the delineation knowingly. Nonetheless, the ICJ concluded that Thailand had implicitly accepted the map and ordered it to withdraw its forces and return any artefacts taken from the temple since 1954. However, Thailand has maintained that the land surrounding the temple — especially a 4.6 square kilometre patch — remains unresolved. Tensions escalated again in 2008 after Cambodia succeeded in registering Preah Vihear as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Thai nationalists objected, and skirmishes broke out, culminating in a deadly exchange in 2011 that killed at least 15 people. The ICJ reaffirmed its ruling in 2013, this time declaring that the surrounding land was also Cambodian — a decision that still stings in Bangkok. A dispute rooted in empire, colonialism and nationalist pride Between the 14th and 15th centuries, the Khmer empire's influence stretched across much of present-day Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. As Angkor's power declined, the Thai and Vietnamese kingdoms vied for control of Cambodia, frequently invading and shifting the boundary deep into Khmer heartlands. French colonisation of Cambodia in the late 19th century changed the regional balance. Through a series of coercive treaties, France forced Thailand (then Siam) to cede territories it had held for generations. The most significant of these was the 1907 treaty which returned the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap to Cambodian control and introduced the controversial French drawn border map — the origin of the current Preah Vihear dispute. The map's vagueness, drawn along a watershed line that wasn't clearly understood, has allowed for competing claims. While Cambodia insists the ICJ has ruled definitively in its favour, Thailand argues that parts of the border, particularly around ancient temples like Ta Muen Thom and Ta Moan Thom, remain under negotiation. A Joint Border Commission was set up in 2000, but little progress has been made. Nationalism, diplomacy and the risks of modern-day conflict Beyond the historical grievances, presentday politics have inflamed tensions. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, already under pressure at home, was suspended from office in July after a leaked phone call with Cambodia's powerful former leader Hun Sen. In the call, she referred to the Thai military as 'the opposite side' and called Hun Sen 'uncle,' sparking outrage from Thai lawmakers who accused her of undermining national sovereignty. Meanwhile, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet — son of Hun Sen — responded to the latest violence by declaring that while Cambodia seeks peaceful resolution, it 'has no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.' Both countries have moved troops to the border and issued warnings of further escalation. Thailand's Foreign Ministry has warned Cambodia to stop attacking civilian and military targets or face 'intensified self-defense measures.' Cambodia insists it acted only in response to drone incursions and unprovoked attacks. Military rhetoric has grown louder. Thai officials have warned they are prepared for a 'high-level operation' if their sovereignty is threatened. Cambodia has stopped imports of Thai fruit, banned Thai media, and evacuated its diplomatic staff. Even minor provocations have had outsized consequences. In February, Cambodian civilians, escorted by troops, sang their national anthem at the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple, prompting Thai soldiers to intervene. Earlier, conservative voices in Thailand warned that joint energy exploration with Cambodia could risk ceding territory — specifically, the island of Koh Kood. The path ahead: More talks or more clashes? Despite the rising tension, both countries have occasionally reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue. After the May 28 clash, Bangkok and Phnom Penh agreed to meet through their Joint Border Commission. But even as diplomatic statements pledge restraint, soldiers remain mobilised near the border. The Preah Vihear temple continues to symbolise more than just ancient heritage — it embodies centuries of shifting borders, colonial legacy, and wounded national pride, and finds itself at the centre of a centuries old conflict.
AFP
2 hours ago
- Politics
- AFP
Clip shows flood defence in northern Thailand, not border wall with Cambodia
"Thailand is building walls against Cambodia, reports a Khmer channel," reads Thai-language text on a TikTok video posted on July 15, 2025. The video, which has garnered more than 460,000 views, appears to show a wall being constructed. It shows concrete slabs being slotted into position by several men wearing camouflage trousers and green shirts adorned with the words "Royal Thai Army". According to the clip's , it shows an 800-kilometre border fence that Thailand was building along its border with Cambodia. Image Screenshot of the false TikTok post captured on July 23, 2025, with a red X added by AFP Similar posts surfaced elsewhere on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, as well as in a Khmer-language post after longstanding tensions between the Southeast Asian neighbours escalated into cross-border clashes in late May, with one Cambodian soldier killed. Numerous border crossings have been closed as Cambodia halted certain Thai imports, and the kingdom's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended pending an ethics probe into her conduct after a phone call trying to soothe the spat was leaked by ex-Cambodian leader Hun Sen (archived link). The neighbours' long-running border spat dramatically escalated on July 24, with Cambodia firing rockets and artillery shells into Thailand and the Thai military scrambling F-16 jets to carry out air strikes (archived link). Both sides blamed the other for starting the fighting, which erupted near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. The clip circulating online, however, was not filmed at the countries' shared border. Thailand-Myanmar floodwall A reverse image search on Google using the keyframes from the falsely shared clip and additional keyword found a longer version of the video in a Facebook post shared on June 1 (archived link). Its Thai-language description reads: "Let's take a look at the army engineers from the Department of Military Engineering, Ratchaburi province, laying the piles and inserting the concrete slabs". "Each slab takes about 3-5 minutes. This spot should be done as soon as next week," it added. Image Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared clip (left) and the video posted on June 1 (right) The Facebook user regularly publishes videos on the floodwall construction in Mae Sai district of Chiangrai province in northern Thailand, which borders Myanmar (archived lin AFP geolocated the footage to an area near a river on the Thai-Myanmar border (archived here and here). Aerial footage from a July 21 report by public broadcaster Thai PBS shows the same guesthouses, where the floodwalls are reportedly almost complete (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of the Facebook video from June 1 (left) and a Thai PBS report (right), with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP Another video published by the Facebook user shows a distinct yellow building downstream and across the river (archived here and here). The same building is visible in a June 1 report by state media NBT about the construction of riverbank barriers in communities that have been severely affected by flooding (archived link). Image Screenshot comparison of a building seen in a Facebook video posted by the user who shared the original video (left) and a report by NBT on June 1 (right), highlighted in both by AFP AFP has previously fact-checked other misinformation related to the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
F-16 jets, airstrikes and temple dispute: Why are Thailand and Cambodia on the brink of war?
At least nine civilians were killed on Thursday after rockets fired from Cambodia struck a Thai border community, as military forces from both countries exchanged fire near the Ta Muen temple along the Thailand-Cambodia border. The latest violence marks a sharp escalation in decades-old tensions over a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle. A Cambodian soldier (centre L) shakes hands with a Thai soldier (centre R) at the disputed ancient Khmer temple Prasat Ta Muen Thom, or Prasat Ta Moan Thom in Khmer, on the Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province on March 26, 2025. Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire in a new round of clashes on July 24, 2025, hours after the two sides downgraded diplomatic relations in an escalating row over a disputed border. (AFP) A decades-old border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has flared into open conflict once again, with air strikes, rocket fire, civilian casualties, and diplomatic expulsions marking the most serious escalation in years. What triggered latest Thai-Cambodia clashes? The current round of violence erupted on Thursday, when Thailand launched airstrikes on Cambodian military positions shortly after Cambodian forces fired rockets and artillery across the border, reportedly killing a Thai civilian and injuring three others, including a five-year-old child. Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon confirmed that six F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Ubon Ratchathani province and struck two 'Cambodian military targets on the ground.' According to the Thai army, cited by news agency AFP, hostilities began at around 7:35 AM when Thai soldiers stationed near the Ta Muen temple detected a Cambodian drone overhead. An hour later, a group of armed Cambodian soldiers approached a barbed-wire fence near the Thai post. Thai forces say they issued verbal warnings before Cambodian troops opened fire. Both sides blame each other Cambodia and Thailand have each accused the other of initiating the conflict, which took place near two ancient temples along the contested border region between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. 'The Thai military violated the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia by launching an armed assault on Cambodian forces stationed to defend the nation's sovereign territory,' Cambodian defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement. 'In response, the Cambodian armed forces exercised their legitimate right to self-defence, in full accordance with international law, to repel the Thai incursion and protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.' On the other hand, the Thai military claimed that Cambodian troops initiated the exchange by targeting Thai positions and later carried out a "targeted attack on civilians" using BM-21 rockets. Diplomatic fallout deepens Thursday's violence came just hours after Thailand expelled Cambodia's ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Phnom Penh, following a landmine blast that injured five Thai soldiers. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said Thai investigators believe the mines were newly planted by Cambodian forces—an allegation Phnom Penh strongly denied. In response, Cambodia announced it was downgrading diplomatic ties to 'the lowest level,' pulled most of its diplomats, and expelled Thailand's diplomatic team from its capital. Tensions have also spilled over into trade and border policy. Thailand recently restricted crossings, while Cambodia suspended select imports. The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has advised its citizens to leave Cambodia 'as soon as possible' unless absolutely necessary. Historical roots of the dispute The two countries have long been at odds over a tract of land near the Emerald Triangle — where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos converge. This area includes several ancient temples, which are claimed by both sides. While legal rulings and negotiations over the years have aimed to resolve the issue, military skirmishes have continued to erupt periodically. Clashes first turned deadly more than 15 years ago, and the dispute flared up again in May this year, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a firefight. Internal politics and rising militarisation The border crisis is unfolding amid domestic political upheaval in both nations. In Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe, while Cambodia's government has drawn criticism for leaking a private diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, triggering a judicial review. Meanwhile, Cambodia has begun preparing for an expanded military role for its citizens. Prime Minister Hun Manet last week announced that a dormant conscription law would be activated in 2026, introducing mandatory military service for civilians for the first time in years. As the dispute escalates on both military and diplomatic fronts, leaders are urging caution. Thailand's acting PM stated, 'The situation requires careful handling, and we must act in accordance with international law. We will do our best to protect our sovereignty.' (With AFP inputs)
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why are Cambodia and Thailand fighting? Temple complex at heart of dispute
A Cambodian drone allegedly spotted by Thailand near the area of Ta Muen Thom temple is being cited as the trigger for latest cross-border hostilities between the Southeast Asian neighbours. Rocket-fire exchange and airstrikes involving F-16 jets have since been reported. A Thai soldier watches as Cambodian people visit the disputed ancient Khmer temple Prasat Ta Muen Thom on the border in in March 2025. On July 24, hours after the two sides downgraded diplomatic relations in an escalating row over a disputed border, troops exchanged fire in a new round of clashes.(AFP) The flare-up is the latest chapter, while it's been more than a century that Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting over the many non-demarcated points along their 817-km land border. This has led to at least a dozen deaths in skirmishes over several years, including during a weeklong exchange of artillery in 2011, Reuters reported. At the nub of the protracted border dispute, however, is a set of 9th- to 11th-century temples that believed to have initially been built as Hindu shrines but later moved into the Buddhist fold as the region's religious preferences moved too. Temple complex on key mountain pass The Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple sits in the Dangrek mountains, and is believed to have been built under Khmer ruler King Udayadityavarman II and dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built during the empire that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries in Southeast Asia, primarily in present-day Cambodia. It is part of a larger temple complex — which has at least two other ancient shrines — on a strategic pass along the ancient Khmer highway that links Angkor in present‑day Cambodia with Phimai in Thailand. , primarily in present-day Cambodia. The most famous example is Angkor Wat. Cambodia claims the temple based on historical Khmer Empire boundaries which included modern-day Cambodia and parts of Thailand; but Thailand say it's in its Surin province. The International Court of Justice has awarded it to Cambodia but Thai troops remain in the area around it. The two countries for some years have had a common understanding governing pilgrimage to the site. But shows of strength fuel a nationalistic sentiment — and vice versa — on both sides. In February, Cambodian troops crossed into the area and challenged Thai forces deployed there by singing the national anthem. A truce was reached by April. Past tensions over temple complex Tension had escalated in 2008, too, after Cambodia's attempt to list the Preah Vihear temple, part of the complex, as a UNESCO World Heritage site on its own. The UNESCO status was granted, though. The International Court of Justice had already awarded the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962, but Thailand continues to lay claim to the surrounding land. The ICJ has later clarified, too, that the land around the temple also belongs to Cambodia. Yet, flare-ups continue. Mapping recent history, briefly The dispute, as is being seen today, starts around the beginning of the 20th century. The French colonial rulers of Cambodia mapped the Thai-Cambodian border in 1907. But the line deviated from a 1904 agreement that had said the border would follow the natural watershed. But the map later deviated showed the Preah Vihear temple and the complex as being in Cambodia, even though natural topography put it on the Thai side. The Thais accepted it then and later raised a dispute in the 1930s. That's why the ICJ ruled that they had waited too long to protest. In the latest, Thailand's military said Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending troops with heavy weapons to an area near the temple. Cambodia, however, claimed there was 'unprovoked incursion' by Thai troops and it responded in self-defence.
Saudi Gazette
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Thai and Cambodian troops clash at disputed border
BANGKOK — Troops from Thailand and Cambodia have clashed at a disputed portion of their border early on Thursday, with both sides accusing each other of firing the first shot. The Thai military said Cambodian soldiers opened fire near the Khmer temple Ta Muen Thom, where tensions have run high in recent weeks. Cambodia's defence ministry however said its soldiers were responding in self-defence after Thai troops fired the first shots. Cambodia had sent a surveillance drone into the area before deploying heavily armed troops, the Thai military said, adding that at least two Thai soldiers were injured. A spokeswoman for the Cambodian defence ministry, Maly Socheata, said their troops "exercised their right to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity against the aggression of the Thai troops. Socheata said Thailand "violated the territorial integrity of Cambodia". Parts of two Cambodian provinces had been shelled by the Thai military, former leader Hun Sen said on Facebook, while also urging people not to panic. "Cambodia has always maintained a position of wanting to resolve issues peacefully, but in this case we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression," Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Facebook. Thailand's acting premier Phumtham Wechayachai said that its dispute with Cambodia remains "delicate" and must be addressed with care, and in line with international law. Thursday's clash comes a day after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia, following a landmine explosion that injured a Thai soldier along the border. On Wednesday, Bangkok also said it would expel Cambodia's ambassador. Bilateral relations between the two countries are at their worst in more than a decade, after armed clashes in May left one Cambodian soldier dead. In the past two months, both countries have imposed tit-for-tat restrictions and strengthened troops presence along the border. — BBC
