Tensions Boil Over as Thailand Warns of War, 138,000 Flee Border Clashes with Cambodia
Bangkok — Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai issued a stark warning Friday that escalating clashes with Cambodia could spiral into full-scale war, as fighting along their disputed border forced more than 138,000 people to flee their homes, reported by AFP.
“What we are seeing now are limited skirmishes,” Phumtham told reporters in Bangkok. “But if this continues, it could develop into war.”
Heavy fighting erupted Thursday, reigniting a long-standing territorial dispute that had remained largely dormant since a 2013 UN court ruling. The renewed violence saw tanks, jets, and artillery unleashed across several contested zones, including near ancient temples along the 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier.
The Thai army reported three active conflict zones early Friday, with Cambodian forces launching fresh assaults using field artillery and BM-21 rocket systems. Thai troops responded with what the army described as “appropriate supporting fire.”
Thailand’s health ministry confirmed 15 deaths — 14 civilians and one soldier — and 46 wounded, including 15 soldiers. Cambodia has not released its own casualty figures. Hospitals along the border were evacuated, and more than 428 patients have been moved to safer areas, authorities said.
Civilians on both sides scrambled for safety as distant artillery echoed through towns like Samraong, just 12 miles from the front. “They started shooting again at 6:00 a.m.,” said Pro Bak, a Cambodian father of two seeking refuge at a local temple. “I don’t know when we’ll go back.”
The crisis has sparked urgent diplomatic responses. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, chair of the ASEAN bloc, urged a ceasefire and reported “positive signals” from both governments. Still, cross-border fire resumed Friday morning.
The U.N. Security Council is set to hold an emergency session Friday at the request of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. The U.S., EU, France, and China have all called for immediate de-escalation.
Tensions escalated dramatically after Thailand expelled Cambodia’s ambassador on Thursday, following a landmine explosion that wounded five Thai soldiers. Cambodia retaliated by downgrading diplomatic ties and expelling Thai diplomats.
The latest clashes are the deadliest since a spate of border fighting from 2008 to 2011 that killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands.
