The Cambodian representative to the United Nations, Chor Chhun, stated after a closed-door meeting of the Security Council on July 25 local time that Cambodia demands "unconditional and immediate ceasefire" and calls for peaceful resolution of the military conflict with Thailand over the border.

This conflict between Cambodia and Thailand began on July 24, marking the largest-scale military confrontation between the two countries in over a decade. In recent days, the conflict area has expanded, resulting in at least 32 deaths, more than 130 injured, and over 160,000 displaced. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit warned that if the situation escalates, it could develop into a war.

The Security Council convened an emergency meeting at the request of Cambodia. For a long time, Cambodia has tended to resolve border disputes through international mediation, while Thailand prefers bilateral talks.

Earlier, Malaysia, the rotating chair of ASEAN, had contacted both Cambodia and Thailand, attempting to ease the tension. Regarding the ceasefire proposal by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar, Cambodia has expressed acceptance. However, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it "principally agrees" with Anwar's ceasefire proposal but accused Cambodia of launching indiscriminate attacks on Thai territory, putting civilians in danger, and clearly lacking sincerity in ceasing fire.

The conflict also affected the neighboring country of Laos. According to reports from the Lao military, Lao forces engaged in intense firefights with several Cambodian armed personnel who illegally crossed the border on July 24-25 in the tri-border area. Three people were killed and one was injured in the firefight. Additionally, ten shells fired during the Thai-Cambodian conflict fell into Lao territory, and it is currently unclear which side fired them.

On July 24, 2025, in Takli district, Thailand, a BM-21 rocket launched by Cambodia hit a gas station, causing a large fire and injuring many students and civilians. Photo / Visual China

Escalation of Firepower

At dawn on July 24, Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire near the Wat Phra Singh temple, one of four disputed areas along their border. Both sides accused each other of opening fire first, forcing them to launch self-defense counterattacks.

Subsequently, the conflict expanded to at least eight locations within a day, stretching from the western Wat Phra Singh temple to the eastern tri-border area shared with Laos, covering about 270 kilometers. By the next day, the number of conflict sites increased to 12.

Cambodia used the Soviet-designed BM-21 rocket launcher, hitting multiple civilian facilities in Thailand, including a hospital in Surin province and a gas station in Takli district. Thailand, on the other hand, deployed six U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and controversial cluster bombs, conducting multiple strikes on Cambodian military positions along the border.

Notably, this marked the first time Thailand used aircraft in its border conflict with Cambodia. Anthony Davis, an analyst from Jane's Defence Weekly, believes that Thailand possesses absolute air superiority and adopts a strategy of "escalating first and then easing."

The Nikkei news outlet quoted a senior Thai officer as saying that Thailand's "show of force" strategy aims to warn Cambodia that any further escalation would result in harsher retaliation. "Phnom Penh will be our target," he said.

Data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) shows that Cambodia lacks fighter jets, while Thailand has a fleet of 112 aircraft, including 28 U.S. F-16s and 11 Swedish Gripen jets. Moreover, Thailand has over 360,000 active military personnel, three times that of Cambodia.

During the outbreak of the conflict, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn was on leave, with Deputy Prime Minister Prawit acting as interim prime minister. Additionally, the position of the Thai Defense Minister has been vacant since the cabinet reshuffle at the beginning of the month, currently held by the Deputy Minister Nattapong.

Professor Tidarat Phongsudhirak, a professor of international relations at Chulalongkorn University and a senior researcher at the Institute of Security and International Studies, pointed out that the Puea Thai government has effectively transferred decision-making power over border issues to the military. He warned that allowing the military to dominate border policy is very risky, as it could lead to the military escalating conflicts without civilian oversight.

As of early July 26, according to reports from both countries' defense departments, the conflict has resulted in 19 deaths in Thailand (13 civilians, 6 soldiers) and 13 deaths in Cambodia (8 civilians, 5 soldiers). This is the most severe incident of civilian casualties in the history of conflicts between the two countries. During the border standoff from 2008 to 2011, approximately 40 people died, mostly soldiers, with only 4 civilians.

When Will the Ceasefire Happen?

The conflict behind it is a century-old dispute and ethnic resentment left from the colonial era.

The land border between Thailand and Cambodia, stretching over 800 kilometers, was largely delineated in 1907 through negotiations between Thailand and France, which then colonized Cambodia. Due to the use of different scale maps by Thailand and Cambodia, there are overlapping territorial claims. To this day, nearly 200 kilometers of the border remain undetermined, leading to continuous conflicts between the two countries.

The ancient Preah Vihear Temple, located on the border, has always been a focal point of the dispute. Cambodia tends to resolve the conflict through international law, while Thailand insists on bilateral negotiations. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia and reaffirmed this stance in 2013, but did not clarify the control rights over the larger disputed area.

In May this year, Thai and Cambodian troops had a minor clash in the disputed border area, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Both sides have different accounts of who provoked the incident. Since then, tensions have remained high: Thailand has imposed border controls on Cambodia, while Cambodia has banned the import of Thai vegetables and fruits and prohibited the broadcast of Thai films and television programs.

Mid-July, within a week, two landmine explosions occurred on this unstable border, injuring several Thai soldiers. Thailand accused Cambodia of violating the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines by newly laying lethal mines in the area. Cambodia denied the accusation of planting new mines, claiming they were remnants from past wars. Subsequently, both countries expelled their ambassadors and lowered diplomatic relations, igniting the conflict.

Historically, conflicts between the two sides often quickly ease. Before this, the fiercest conflict between Thailand and Cambodia occurred in 2011, when the two sides exchanged fire for a week. The crisis eventually eased after the 2011 Thai general election, when Yingluck Shinawatra, supported by Thaksin, came to power. Then-Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had a decades-long friendship with Thaksin, calling him a "brother-in-law."

However, the recent feud between Hun Sen and Thaksin may hinder the easing of tensions.

Hun Sen handed over power to his eldest son Hun Manet in 2023, who now serves as the Chairman of the Senate. Last month, a phone call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen discussing border issues was leaked by Cambodia. In the recording, Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as "uncle" and hoped he could help to ease the tension along the border.

Nevertheless, Paetongtarn's derogatory remarks about the Thai military and her respectful attitude toward Hun Sen were criticized as betraying national interests. Later, Paetongtarn was suspended from her duties by the Thai Constitutional Court and is currently awaiting a judge's ruling on allegations of violating ethical standards.

Border conflicts have often served as catalysts for coups in Thailand. With Thailand's political situation in turmoil, Hun Sen has repeatedly threatened to reveal more information detrimental to Thaksin, further deepening the suspicion between the Puea Thai government and the Thai military.

After the conflict erupted on July 24, Thaksin and Hun Sen publicly clashed on social media. Thaksin claimed that although multiple countries proposed mediation, he hopes "firstly let the Thai military fulfill its duties, teach Hun Sen a lesson, and make him know the consequences of being lazy." Hun Sen retaliated, stating that Thaksin's remarks further confirmed that this is a "military invasion" by Thailand against Cambodia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar, the rotating chair of ASEAN, has called both Hun Manet and Prawit separately, urging the two countries to immediately achieve a ceasefire and create conditions for peaceful dialogue. However, it is not easy for ASEAN to restrain the conflicting parties.

On the Cambodian side, Hun Sen may hope to completely resolve the territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, bringing a perfect end to his political career. Meanwhile, the Puea Thai government, which has been criticized for its slow response to the border issue, may take a tougher stance to win back public support.

Additionally, both Cambodia and Thailand will face a high 36% tariff from the United States starting August 1. Analysts believe that this dispute can serve as a distraction from domestic economic issues, and the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand may not easily put an end to this confrontation.

Reporter: Chen Jialin (kalimchen97@gmail.com)

Editor: Xu Fangqing

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7531369320601895463/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [up/down] buttons below.