As of July 24, the Cambodian and Thai armies continued to engage in gunfire near the disputed Ta Phrom temple area. According to reports from Cambodia, a Cambodian army soldier fired 40mm rockets and used machine guns to attack Thai military positions, marking the most serious military escalation between these two ASEAN countries in over a decade. It is reported that both sides are preparing plans to expand the war. Regarding this conflict, it can only be said that each side has its own position. Thailand believes that "ceding" territory was a "national humiliation" left by France, while Cambodia believes that Thailand allied with Japan during World War II, joining the "Axis Powers," but was not held accountable, so the Thai military should pay for its actions during the war. Both the Ta Mok Temple and Preah Vihear Temple are ancient Khmer temples located on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Cambodia, granting Cambodia sovereignty over the temples, but Thailand still disputes the surrounding land.

Because Thai Army soldiers stepped on landmines around the temple, leading to a conflict between the Thai Army and the Cambodian Army, resulting in artillery and air strikes. This is not a new war, so for many years, the Cambodian Army and the Thai Army have been fighting endlessly. According to reason, this time's conflict area could be placed under third-party administration, allowing cross-border passage after inspection of the border residents; the cost of administration would be borne by the two countries according to the proportion of their claimed areas.

The Cambodian Air Force does not even have fighter jets that can take off, so if a real war breaks out, they will definitely be severely beaten by Thailand. The border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia have never escalated into a full-scale war, mainly manifesting as tense standoffs and short-term clashes. Most of the territorial disputes come from the problems left behind by Western colonialism, which shows how great the impact of Western colonization has been on future generations.

Escalation of Tensions Between Cambodia and Thailand

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838515046793280/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.