Camille Naredo

Smoke is pictured in the air from a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025. Tang Chhin Sothy, AFP

Smoke is pictured in the air from a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025. The UN Security Council was set to hold an emergency meeting on July 25 after a long-running border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP)

Article (news)

CONFLICT

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753513661770AFP__20250725__67T997M__v1__MidRes__CambodiaThailandBorderConflict.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Smoke is pictured in the air from a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025. Tang Chhin Sothy, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Smoke is pictured in the air from a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodia-Thailand border in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025. <em>Tang Chhin Sothy, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>SAMRAONG, Cambodia -- Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day on Saturday, as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33 and Phnom Penh called for an &quot;immediate ceasefire&quot;.</p><p>A long-running border dispute erupted into intense conflict involving jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, prompting the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis Friday.</p><p>Cambodia&#x27;s defense ministry said 13 people were now confirmed killed in the fighting, including eight civilians and five soldiers, with 71 people wounded.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/7/26/cambodia-calls-for-ceasefire-with-thailand-after-deadly-clashes-0905">READ: Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand after deadly clashes</a></div><p>In Thailand, the army said five soldiers were killed on Friday, taking the toll there to 20 -- 14 civilians and six military.</p><p>The death toll across the two countries is now higher than the 28 killed in the last major round of fighting between 2008 and 2011.</p><p>Both sides reported a clash around 5:00 am (2200 GMT Friday), with Cambodia accusing Thai forces of firing &quot;five heavy artillery shells&quot; into locations in Pursat province, which borders Thailand&#x27;s Trat province -- on the coast some 250 kilometers (160 miles) southwest of the main frontlines.</p><p>AFP journalists in the Cambodian town of Samraong, near the ridge of forest-clad hills that marks the border and has seen the bulk of the fighting, heard the thump of artillery early Saturday afternoon.</p><p>A Thai villager reached by phone as he sheltered in a bunker in Sisaket province, just 10 kilometers from the frontier, also reported hearing artillery.</p><p>&quot;I just want this to end as soon as possible,&quot; Sutian Phiewchan told AFP.</p><p>The fighting has forced more than 138,000 people to be evacuated from Thailand&#x27;s border regions, with more than 35,000 driven from their homes in Cambodia.</p><p>After the closed meeting of the Security Council in New York, Cambodia&#x27;s UN ambassador Chhea Keo said his country wanted a ceasefire.</p><p>&quot;Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire -- unconditionally -- and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,&quot; he told reporters.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/7/25/thailand-says-over-100-000-civilians-flee-clashes-with-cambodia-1029">READ: Thailand warns of war with Cambodia as 138,000 flee fighting</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Border row -</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABc8WLUH8GxsFvOM"></script><p>Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said Saturday that for any ceasefire or talks to proceed, Cambodia needed to show &quot;genuine sincerity in ending the conflict&quot;.</p><p>&quot;I urge Cambodia to stop violating Thai sovereignty and to return to resolving the issue through bilateral dialogue,&quot; Maris told reporters.</p><p>Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said Friday, before the UN meeting was held, that Bangkok was open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia.</p><p>Malaysia currently holds the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, of which Thailand and Cambodia are both members.</p><p>Both sides have blamed the other for firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket.</p><p>Cambodia has accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions.</p><p>Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- still an influential figure in the kingdom -- visited shelters on Saturday to meet evacuees.</p><p>&quot;The military needs to complete its operations before any dialogue can take place,&quot; Thaksin told reporters.</p><p>The 76-year-old said he had no plans to contact Hun Sen, Cambodia&#x27;s powerful ex-prime minister who was long a close ally.</p><p>&quot;His actions reflect a disturbed mindset. He should reflect on his conduct,&quot; Thaksin said of Hun Sen.</p><p>The fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a long-running dispute between the neighbours -- both popular destinations for millions of foreign tourists -- over their shared 800-kilometre (500-mile) border.</p><p>Dozens of kilometres in several areas are contested and fighting broke out between 2008 and 2011, leaving at least 28 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.</p><p>A UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter for more than a decade, but the current crisis erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a new clash.</p><p>Relations between the neighbours soured dramatically when Hun Sen last month released a recording of a call with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra focused on the border row.</p><p>The leak triggered a political crisis in Thailand as Paetongtarn -- Thaksin&#x27;s daughter -- was accused of not standing up for Thailand enough, and of criticising her own army.</p><p>She was suspended from office by a court order.</p><div><strong>-- Suy Se with Montira Rungjirajittranon in Bangkok</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day on Saturday, as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33 and Phnom Penh called for an "immediate ceasefire".</p>

Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day on Saturday, as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33 and Phnom Penh called for an "immediate ceasefire".

Death toll rises in Thai-Cambodian clashes despite ceasefire call

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Death toll rises in Thai-Cambodian clashes despite ceasefire call

Agence France-Presse

Published Jul 26, 2025 03:30 PM PHT

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