July 26, 2025 | Dubai, UAE – The lingering Thailand Cambodia conflict about the border dispute escalated dramatically on Thursday. Reports say that Thailand launched airstrikes on Cambodian military targets, following an accusation that Cambodia fired rockets and artillery first.
The Thailand Cambodia conflict regarding the cluster of temples of Preah Vihear and about 95 kilometres to the west, the Ta Muen Thom, both dedicated to Lord Shiva, has been going on for more than half a century. The most violent conflict took place on July 24, Thursday leaving many casualties. The firings and attacks from both sides have killed around 15 people, including civilians, as the Thailand Cambodia conflict continues to escalate.
The Latest Attacks By Thailand And Cambodia
The latest fighting began in the early hours of Thursday near the Ta Muen Thom temple in the Surin Province of Thailand. According to the situation told by the Thai military officials, the confrontation ignited due to the alleged stationing of surveillance drones by the Cambodian troops. It is said that the drones were deployed near Thai positions. Thailand’s military mentioned that all their efforts at de-escalation were in vain, and by 08:20 local time, a heavy fight had already taken place.
Thai authorities claim their attacks were self-defense responses to Cambodian attacks. Claims are that Cambodia initiated the conflict when it launched attacks with rocket-propelled grenades. On the contrary, Cambodia is accusing Thailand of allegedly violating and infringing its sovereignty.
With the danger of escalation hovering, Thailand’s has raised their security alert to Level 4 and has initiated sealing of all the border crossings. The authorities have moved over 40,000 civilians from almost 86 villages who were vulnerable in conflict zones.
History Behind The Thailand Cambodia Conflict
The ages-old Thailand Cambodia conflict has its core resting in territorial partition, which traces all the way back to colonial days. The disputes circle the cluster of Hindu temples like the Preah Vihear temple.
When the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was involved in 1962, it ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia but did not mention the land surrounding it. ICJ also asked them to return the cultural artefacts that were taken after 1954. The verdict was based on the Map designed by the French colonials that had placed the temple in the land of Cambodia. They had originally accepted the map but there were disputes later on.
The Thailand Cambodia conflict rose again in 2011 with military clashes at the disputed site. ICJ again gave a clarification on the issue stating that the temple and the land surrounding it were under Cambodian sovereignty. It also ordered Thailand to withdraw its military troops from the site.
The Ta Muen Thom Central To The Fighting
The recent tensions are circling the Ta Muen Thom temple complex, which is surrounded by the dense wild landscape of the Dangrek Mountains along the border. The temple has been hidden but is central to the Khmer Hindu heritage. It includes three main temples: Ta Muen Thom, Ta Muen, and Ta Muen Tot.
It is unique as it does not follow the conventional rules of Khmer designs. The temple’s uniqueness lies in its rare, southward-facing main shrine. Usually, the shrine would align with the East in Khmer designs. The temple enshrines a naturally formed Shivalinga in the heart of its sanctum.
The Century-Old Tension Of Parting Borders
When the French provided their protection to Cambodia in 1863, Paris and Siam made various agreements (1904–1907) regarding the border issues. Although the cartographers back then used watershed lines for partition, they still changed the division around culturally significant sites like Preah Vihear.
Many scholars now note that such Western-made borders were alien to regional politics and had inconsistencies that are regularly showing up as modern geography advances. French mapping places the temple compound just inside the borders of Cambodia, which has continuously bothered Thailand. Cambodia’s application for Preah Vihear to become a UNESCO site in 2008 had similarly sparked tensions and escalated the Thailand Cambodia conflict.
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