In one of the most dangerous escalations between two Southeast Asian neighbors in decades, a Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed military targets inside Cambodia on Thursday, as fierce fighting erupted along the disputed Thai-Cambodian border. At least 12 people – 11 Thai civilians and one soldier – have been killed, dozens more injured, and over 40,000 residents displaced as violence swept through at least six border regions.
The epicenter of the conflict remains the ancient Ta Moan Thom Temple area, a long-disputed archaeological site nestled in northwestern Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province. As gunfire, rocket salvos, and aerial bombardments transformed dense jungle and peaceful farmland into a deadly battlefield, mutual accusations and severed diplomatic ties now threaten to unravel years of regional integration efforts under ASEAN.
The border clashes ignited in the early hours of Thursday when, according to Thai military sources, Cambodian troops entered contested territory under the cover of drone surveillance and launched attacks using heavy weapons, including long-range BM-21 rockets. Thailand’s army responded with artillery fire and mobilized air power, confirming that six F-16 fighter jets were scrambled and that at least two Cambodian military targets were bombed.
Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a senior Thai military officer, said the fighting had spread rapidly from the temple area to six other points along the border, prompting the closure of all checkpoints and the declaration of restricted military zones in at least three provinces.
Thailand’s Health Minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, confirmed the toll: 11 civilians and one soldier killed, including an 8-year-old boy. “We hold Cambodia fully accountable,” he told reporters. “Shelling of civilian areas and a hospital cannot be construed as collateral. These are clear war crimes.”
Local authorities reported further casualties in the provinces of Surin and Sisaket. In Ban Phue town, some 20 kilometers from the border, four civilians died after a Cambodian shell struck a petrol station. Elsewhere, two people were killed in their homes in Kabcheing district, according to district chief Sutthirot Charoenthanasak.
Authorities said 86 villages across the affected region had been evacuated. Images from the area showed children and the elderly seeking shelter in hastily fortified bunkers, some built from concrete sewage pipes, sandbags, and tires.
Cambodia and Thailand have entered a state of severe diplomatic rupture. Thailand’s governing Pheu Thai Party announced the immediate expulsion of Cambodia’s ambassador and a recall of its own from Phnom Penh. Hours later, Cambodia retaliated, withdrawing its entire diplomatic corps from Bangkok and ordering Thai diplomats to depart. Cambodia downgraded bilateral diplomatic relations to the lowest level – second secretary rank.
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence condemned Thailand’s aerial bombings as “brutal military aggression” and claimed the jets targeted a road deep inside Cambodian territory. Phnom Penh maintains that its forces acted in self-defense after a Thai incursion violated long-standing ceasefire protocols.
Former Prime Minister Hun Sen, still a major power broker and the father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet, issued a fiery statement via social media: “Thailand shelled two Cambodian provinces without provocation. We had no choice but to fight back. But I urge our people: stay calm. Don’t hoard food or fuel.”
Prime Minister Hun Manet has formally appealed to the United Nations Security Council for an emergency session, warning that Thailand’s actions “gravely threatened peace in the region and endangered millions of lives.”
The Thai Air Force’s decision to deploy F-16s marked a significant turning point in what was until now primarily a ground-based skirmish. Military analysts see this as a sign that Bangkok views the situation as crossing a strategic threshold.
Thai Deputy Military Spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon confirmed that the F-16 strikes targeted Cambodian military encampments believed to house BM-21 rocket systems and artillery bunkers. He said that Thailand had not struck civilian targets and that all actions were in accordance with international law and rules of engagement.
Thailand’s military has since placed its 2nd Infantry Division, headquartered in Prachinburi, on high alert, and begun repositioning mechanized units toward the border. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Cambodia has activated its 4th Military Region forces and moved armored vehicles closer to Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey.
“The presence of fighter jets in the skies has transformed this from a border dispute to a full-blown regional crisis,” said Thai security analyst Colonel Theerapong Chansamorn, now retired. “We are no longer in skirmish territory. This is modern conventional warfare involving state air power and long-range artillery.”
The international response has been swift, if cautious. China, a key ally and major investor in both countries, expressed “deep concern” over the hostilities.
Guo Jiaku, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a Beijing briefing, “We urge both parties to resolve disputes peacefully. China is prepared to act constructively in facilitating de-escalation.”
China’s embassy in Phnom Penh has advised its citizens to avoid the Thai border. Several Chinese state-owned construction projects in Cambodia’s northwest region have suspended work and evacuated personnel.
ASEAN, of which both Thailand and Cambodia are founding members, has so far failed to issue a unified statement. Diplomats from Indonesia and Vietnam reportedly attempted shuttle diplomacy, but neither Bangkok nor Phnom Penh have responded to mediation efforts.
“If ASEAN cannot contain this, the credibility of the bloc as a peace-building platform is severely at risk,” said Dr. Suriyapong Limchai, a professor of international relations at Thammasat University.
At the core of the current violence is a longstanding territorial dispute that dates back to colonial-era maps drawn by French cartographers in the early 20th century. The most prominent flashpoint is the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962 – a decision that Thailand never fully accepted.
The Ta Moan Thom Temple, now the site of Thursday’s initial battle, is another Khmer-era structure whose ownership remains ambiguous. Though located in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, Thailand has historically maintained a presence nearby.
The area’s strategic importance stems not only from national pride but also from control of high ground and access routes critical to border security.
This is not the first time violence has broken out. In 2008–2011, dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed in sporadic fighting. But never before has a modern fighter jet entered the fray.
The latest eruption follows several recent events that inflamed tensions. In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish in northern Preah Vihear province. Then, earlier this month, three Thai soldiers were wounded in a landmine explosion while on patrol.
On Wednesday, a more serious incident occurred: a Thai soldier lost his leg after triggering another landmine near the disputed border. Thai authorities blamed Cambodia, claiming the mines had been newly laid in violation of ceasefire agreements.
Cambodia insists the mines are remnants of its own bloody civil war and that Thai patrols have veered off agreed-upon jungle paths.
Nationalist fervor has surged in both nations. Former PM Hun Sen has made increasingly belligerent public statements, while Thailand’s ruling coalition faces pressure from hardline lawmakers to assert sovereignty more forcefully.
On Cambodian television, military songs and patriotic imagery dominate the airwaves. In Thailand, temples and schools are holding prayer vigils for fallen soldiers and displaced families. Social media is awash with viral calls for national unity.
Beyond the rhetoric and strategic posturing, the most immediate concern remains the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire. As of Thursday evening, over 40,000 Thais from 86 villages have been evacuated to shelters. The Thai Red Cross and local NGOs are mobilizing aid convoys carrying food, medical supplies, and blankets.
Across the border, the Cambodian Red Cross reported that at least 12 villages in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear have been partially abandoned. While official casualty numbers on the Cambodian side remain unclear, local journalists report seeing burned homes and craters where shells landed.
International organizations have begun assessing refugee spillover potential. The UNHCR has activated its emergency preparedness teams, fearing that if fighting spreads further east, it could displace tens of thousands more people.
Security experts warn that the Thai-Cambodian border clash may mark a dangerous new precedent in Southeast Asia, one where military power is used to settle unresolved territorial claims.
“The use of air power – particularly the F-16 strikes – changes everything,” said Dr. Intira Savan, a defense scholar at Mahidol University. “This isn’t just a border patrol gone wrong. It’s a message. It tells us that both countries are willing to test the limits of regional tolerance for military force.”
With neither side showing signs of de-escalation, the coming days may decide the trajectory of the entire conflict – toward uneasy ceasefire, or open war.
