Update: Cambodia and Thailand exchange fire at border; Thai military deploys F-16 fighter jets to bomb Cambodian military installations
By Sun Guangyong in Thailand and in Beijing Published: Jul 24, 2025 10:26 AM Updated: Jul 24, 2025 01:21 PM
The Thai Army said on Thursday that a clash happened at the border areas with Cambodia after the Cambodian side first opened fire, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
A Cambodian defense spokesperson said that Cambodian soldiers on Thursday clashed with Thai soldiers at a disputed border area, per Xinhua report.
At 10:58 am local time, the Thai Air Force deployed F-16 fighter jets and destroyed two Cambodian military installations, Xinhua said, citing the Thai Army's Second Regional Command.
The Thai-Cambodian border dispute has escalated dramatically after another landmine explosion injured five Thai soldiers — one losing a leg — in a disputed area of Ubon Ratchathani province on Wednesday afternoon, the Bangkok Post reported on Wednesday.
Following the landmine incident, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the 2nd Army Region, responsible for Thai-Cambodian border security, ordered the closure of two disputed ancient temples and four additional checkpoints on Wednesday, the Global Times learned from Col Ritcha Suksuwanont, a deputy spokesperson for the army.
The Global Times has also learned that at 7:35 am local time on Thursday, Thai soldiers spotted a Cambodian military drone flying near the disputed temple. At 8:20 am, Cambodian soldiers opened fire toward the Thai side of the checkpoint at Ta Muen temple, and Thai soldiers returned fire.
According to Thai media Daily News reports, at 7:35 am on Thursday, Thai soldiers were installing barbed wire around the disputed ancient temple when Cambodian soldiers voiced their opposition. The Thai side responded that they had already notified Cambodia of the temple's closure.
Shortly after, Cambodian soldiers deployed weapons near Ta Moan temple, and six fully armed Cambodian soldiers approached the barbed wire set up by the Thai side, prompting Thai soldiers to raise their alert level. At 8:20 am, Cambodian soldiers opened fire on the Thai position at the Ta Moan temple post, and Thai soldiers returned fire.
Meanwhile, the Cambodia media outlet Khmer Times reported that Cambodian armed forces have launched a counteroffensive against Thai troops following a serious cross-border military incident early Thursday morning.
"Thai Military had launched first an armed assault on Cambodian forces. Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity," said Cambodia's Defense Ministry Spokewoman Mali Socheata, according to Khmer Times.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told media on Thursday that the situation was delicate. "We have to be careful," he told reporters, according to Reuters. "We will follow international law."
The Thai army blamed Cambodian solders for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district, wounding three people, the AFP reported.
Cambodia's Ministry of National Defense has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as a "brutal and illegal military aggression" by Thailand, accusing its neighbour of violating Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in a series of escalating cross-border attacks this morning, per local media reports.
In response to Thailand's decision to recall its ambassador to Cambodia, expel the Cambodian ambassador to Thailand, and downgrade diplomatic relations with Cambodia, the Cambodian government has announced countermeasures, CCTV News said on Thursday.
As a result, the Cambodian government has decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Thailand to the lowest level, that of chargé d'affaires. Cambodia has also announced the recall of all diplomats and staff from its embassy in Thailand, except for essential personnel, and has simultaneously demanded that Thai diplomats leave Cambodia within a specified timeframe, according to the media report.
The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia on Thursday reminds Chinese citizens in the country, especially those near the conflict zones, to closely monitor the local security situation, remain vigilant, take precautions, and stay safe. They should also avoid traveling to the Cambodian-Thai border areas, according to a statement issued by the embassy after Cambodian and Thai military forces clashed in border areas.
A Cambodian defense spokesperson said that Cambodian soldiers on Thursday clashed with Thai soldiers at a disputed border area, per Xinhua report.
At 10:58 am local time, the Thai Air Force deployed F-16 fighter jets and destroyed two Cambodian military installations, Xinhua said, citing the Thai Army's Second Regional Command.
The Thai-Cambodian border dispute has escalated dramatically after another landmine explosion injured five Thai soldiers — one losing a leg — in a disputed area of Ubon Ratchathani province on Wednesday afternoon, the Bangkok Post reported on Wednesday.
Following the landmine incident, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the 2nd Army Region, responsible for Thai-Cambodian border security, ordered the closure of two disputed ancient temples and four additional checkpoints on Wednesday, the Global Times learned from Col Ritcha Suksuwanont, a deputy spokesperson for the army.
The Global Times has also learned that at 7:35 am local time on Thursday, Thai soldiers spotted a Cambodian military drone flying near the disputed temple. At 8:20 am, Cambodian soldiers opened fire toward the Thai side of the checkpoint at Ta Muen temple, and Thai soldiers returned fire.
According to Thai media Daily News reports, at 7:35 am on Thursday, Thai soldiers were installing barbed wire around the disputed ancient temple when Cambodian soldiers voiced their opposition. The Thai side responded that they had already notified Cambodia of the temple's closure.
Shortly after, Cambodian soldiers deployed weapons near Ta Moan temple, and six fully armed Cambodian soldiers approached the barbed wire set up by the Thai side, prompting Thai soldiers to raise their alert level. At 8:20 am, Cambodian soldiers opened fire on the Thai position at the Ta Moan temple post, and Thai soldiers returned fire.
Meanwhile, the Cambodia media outlet Khmer Times reported that Cambodian armed forces have launched a counteroffensive against Thai troops following a serious cross-border military incident early Thursday morning.
"Thai Military had launched first an armed assault on Cambodian forces. Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity," said Cambodia's Defense Ministry Spokewoman Mali Socheata, according to Khmer Times.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told media on Thursday that the situation was delicate. "We have to be careful," he told reporters, according to Reuters. "We will follow international law."
The Thai army blamed Cambodian solders for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district, wounding three people, the AFP reported.
Cambodia's Ministry of National Defense has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as a "brutal and illegal military aggression" by Thailand, accusing its neighbour of violating Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in a series of escalating cross-border attacks this morning, per local media reports.
In response to Thailand's decision to recall its ambassador to Cambodia, expel the Cambodian ambassador to Thailand, and downgrade diplomatic relations with Cambodia, the Cambodian government has announced countermeasures, CCTV News said on Thursday.
As a result, the Cambodian government has decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Thailand to the lowest level, that of chargé d'affaires. Cambodia has also announced the recall of all diplomats and staff from its embassy in Thailand, except for essential personnel, and has simultaneously demanded that Thai diplomats leave Cambodia within a specified timeframe, according to the media report.
The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia on Thursday reminds Chinese citizens in the country, especially those near the conflict zones, to closely monitor the local security situation, remain vigilant, take precautions, and stay safe. They should also avoid traveling to the Cambodian-Thai border areas, according to a statement issued by the embassy after Cambodian and Thai military forces clashed in border areas.
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