Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian military positions along their disputed border on Monday morning, marking the sharpest escalation since a U.S.-backed ceasefire was signed in October. At least one Thai soldier was killed and several others wounded in early-morning clashes that prompted Bangkok to call in air support, Thai military officials said. The strikes targeted what Thailand described as Cambodian weapons depots, command nodes, and logistics routes near multiple flashpoints along the contested frontier.
Cambodia categorically denies initiating the attacks and insists Thai forces opened fire first, around 5:04 a.m. local time. Phnom Penh says it did not retaliate during the initial assaults and has called for an immediate end to "hostile activities." The competing timelines—Thailand cites incoming fire as early as 3:00 a.m.—underscore a verification gap that has fueled rapid escalatory decisions on both sides, including mass civilian evacuations and school closures across border provinces.
Conflicting accounts of who fired first
Thailand's military says Cambodian forces used artillery and mortars to strike Thai positions, including Anupong Base near Chong An Ma Pass, in the pre-dawn hours of Monday. A Thai army spokesperson confirmed that at least one soldier was killed and reported casualties ranging from four to eight wounded, depending on the statement. The Royal Thai Air Force responded with strikes described as precision operations against military infrastructure only, avoiding populated areas.
Cambodia's Ministry of National Defence disputes this sequence entirely. Phnom Penh claims Thai forces launched coordinated assaults beginning at approximately 5:04 a.m. local time across multiple sectors, including areas near Preah Vihear temple and the Ta Muen Thom/Ta Krabey corridor. Cambodian officials say their forces held fire during the initial bombardment and have urged Thailand to cease hostilities and allow third-party verification. Neither side has permitted independent observers into the immediate combat zones, leaving the "who fired first" question unresolved and casualty figures preliminary.
The firefights erupted across a broad front spanning Thai provinces of Sisaket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buriram, and Surin, facing Cambodian provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. These are the same sectors that saw intense gunfire exchanges in recent days, when both militaries accused the other of violating the fragile truce.
Civilians flee as evacuations widen
Thailand's Second Army Region ordered mandatory evacuations in multiple northeastern provinces, with officials stating that approximately 70 percent of residents in frontline towns have been relocated to temporary shelters. Thai authorities reported one civilian death during the evacuation process, attributed to a pre-existing medical condition rather than direct combat. Thailand has also alleged—though not in the past 24 hours—that Cambodia previously employed BM-21 rockets toward Thai civilian areas, a claim Phnom Penh rejects.
On the Cambodian side, schools in border districts of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey have been closed, and images shared by Cambodian officials show students evacuating classrooms. Cambodia evacuated border villages in late November after earlier deadly clashes, and Monday's escalation has prompted fresh displacement. Exact displacement figures for the current round remain fluid, but both governments are prioritizing civilian safety as artillery ranges overlap populated zones.
Members are reading: Why the October ceasefire framework lacked the monitoring teeth to prevent Monday's escalation—and what comes next.
What happens next
Both governments insist their forces acted in self-defense, and neither has signaled a willingness to pull back unilaterally. Thai officials have not ruled out additional air operations if attacks continue; Cambodia has called for restraint but warned it retains the right to defend its territory. ASEAN and Malaysian officials have yet to issue public statements on Monday's strikes, though quiet diplomatic channels may activate in the coming hours.
The immediate risk is that Monday's precedent—using airpower in a disputed border zone—becomes the new baseline. If either side perceives an advantage in escalation, the July war's toll—dozens killed, hundreds of thousands displaced—could be exceeded. Observers will watch for any movement toward third-party verification, renewed Malaysian or ASEAN mediation, or signs that domestic political pressures in Bangkok or Phnom Penh are pushing leaders toward de-escalation. For now, the ceasefire signed with U.S. and Malaysian fanfare in October exists in name only, and the verification gap that has plagued this crisis from the start continues to drive lethal decisions on both sides.
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