Ceasefire collapses as Thailand and Cambodia renew border airstrikes

Bangkok – The long-running confrontation along the Thailand-Cambodia border has intensified again, erasing the glow of a ceasefire reached six weeks ago after months of deadly clashes. The earlier agreement, signed on October 26, came as part of a high-stakes effort involving regional leaders and international mediators, hoping to halt days of fighting that left 43 people dead and displaced about 300,000 others.

On Monday, Thai forces conducted airstrikes described by the military as retaliation for a Cambodian attack, targeting military infrastructure and what Bangkok described as a threat along the disputed frontier. In one early strike, a cable car linking to Hill 350 and a set of Cambodian stairs were destroyed, according to Thai military statements.

Phnom Penh and Bangkok traded competing accounts: Cambodian authorities said the Thai strike came after Cambodia was attacked; Bangkok insisted it acted in response to an attack that killed a Thai soldier. The conflicting timelines underscored the fragility of the border peace and the difficulty of verifying events amid ongoing fighting.

Casualty figures were unclear and inconsistent. Some reports say at least one Thai soldier and several Cambodian civilians were killed, with others wounded as fighting intensified in areas near Preah Vihear and across the border region. As shells and airstrikes rained down, thousands fled their homes, and humanitarian concerns widened for families living in border towns.

International and regional powers have urged restraint and called for an immediate halt to further escalation, highlighting the risk to regional stability and the need for renewed diplomatic engagement. The border remains volatile as both sides brace for potential further clashes, with civilians bearing the brunt of renewed violence.

Cover image source: Watch: Thailand launches airstrikes along border with Cambodia 🔗

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