Thailand announced on Tuesday that it is taking action to expel Cambodian forces from its territory, as fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbours escalates along the disputed border. Both sides have accused each other of initiating the clashes, which have undermined a fragile ceasefire brokered by former US President Donald Trump following five days of fighting in July.Cambodia’s Defence Ministry reported that two civilians were killed overnight, bringing its total death toll to six.
One Thai soldier has also died in the ongoing conflict.In a statement Tuesday morning, the Thai Navy said Cambodian forces were detected inside Thailand’s coastal province of Trat, prompting military operations to remove them, though no further details were provided. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet urged Thailand not to “use military force to attack civilian villages under the pretext of reclaiming its sovereignty.” Cambodia has claimed it did not retaliate despite sustained attacks on its forces.
The Thai Navy added that Cambodian troops had increased their presence, deploying snipers, heavy weapons, and fortified positions while digging trenches—actions it described as a “direct and serious threat” to Thai sovereignty.
Monday’s clashes were the fiercest since July, when a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery killed at least 48 people and displaced 300,000 before Trump brokered a ceasefire. Thailand evacuated 438,000 civilians across five border provinces, while Cambodian authorities reported hundreds of thousands moved to safety. Thailand’s army confirmed 18 soldiers were wounded, and Cambodia reported nine civilians injured.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed territory along their 817-km (508-mile) land border for over a century, with conflicts over ancient temples sparking nationalist tensions and occasional armed confrontations, including a deadly artillery exchange in 2011. Tensions intensified in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border skirmish, leading to troop buildups, diplomatic breakdowns, and renewed clashes.
