Thailand accused Cambodia of violating a 10-day-old ceasefire on Tuesday, claiming cross-border mortar fire wounded a Thai soldier, while Phnom Penh said an accidental explosion from “a pile of garbage” injured two of its own troops.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said its forces “did not retaliate,” opting instead to contact Cambodian authorities to verify the incident. Phnom Penh reportedly told Thai officials that the incident was unintentional. In a statement, Bangkok urged Cambodia to “prevent such incidents from recurring” and issue an official apology.
The incident underscores the fragility of a truce agreed on Dec. 27, which temporarily ended three weeks of clashes that killed dozens and displaced roughly one million people along the two nations’ border.
“The ceasefire was violated,” the Thai army said in a statement, alleging that Cambodian forces fired mortar rounds into Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province on Tuesday morning. One Thai soldier was hospitalized with non-life-threatening shrapnel wounds to his right arm.
In a subsequent statement, Thailand’s military noted that Cambodian officials had contacted Thai forces, claiming that there was “no intention to fire into Thai territory” and that the incident resulted from an operational error by Cambodian personnel. Thailand warned that repeated violations could compel a military response.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry, however, provided a different account. Spokeswoman Maly Socheata said two Cambodian soldiers were injured—one severely—when “an explosion occurred from a pile of garbage” while performing “organisation and orderliness” duties in Preah Vihear province, opposite Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani. Both soldiers were hospitalized.
Socheata did not mention Thailand’s allegations of mortar fire but confirmed that the countries’ border coordination teams had consulted to address the incident. She said the explosion took place in the so-called Emerald Triangle, a frontier region where Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos converge.
The area has a history of deadly clashes. In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight with Thai troops, reigniting tensions in the disputed border region.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that Bangkok had lodged a protest with Phnom Penh, emphasizing that “the truce was violated.” He added that while the incident was reported as accidental, Thai authorities were seeking clarification on how Cambodia would assume responsibility. Anutin also stressed that Thailand has “the capability to respond” if necessary.
The ongoing conflict stems from a decades-old dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of the countries’ roughly 800-kilometer shared border. Both sides claim territory along the border and centuries-old temple ruins.
Under the December truce, Cambodia and Thailand pledged to cease hostilities, freeze troop movements, and cooperate on demining efforts. Earlier attempts to broker peace, including a July truce mediated by the United States, China, and Malaysia, had collapsed after only a short period.
Tensions resurfaced even after the December agreement. Last Saturday, one week into the truce, Cambodia called on Thailand to withdraw its forces from border areas that Phnom Penh claims as Cambodian territory. Thai officials rejected these claims, asserting that their troops were stationed in areas that have “always belonged to Thailand.”
Despite agreeing to halt fighting, the two nations have yet to resolve the long-standing demarcation dispute. Cambodia’s Defence Ministry proposed a bilateral border committee meeting in Siem Reap later this month. Bangkok has previously indicated that such discussions may need to wait until after Thailand’s next elections, scheduled for Feb. 8.
