Afternoon summary
Here is an overview of today’s events:
Thailand’s health minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, said 12 people, including 11 civilians and one soldier, were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces. He added that 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded. One child was included among the civilians killed. Cambodia’s attacks targeted civilian areas in Thailand, including a hospital, causing fatalities, Thailand’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, urging its neighbour to cease actions it said were severe violations of international law.
Thailand said an F-16 fighter jet had fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. The army said several more jets were ready to be deployed. “We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Cambodia’s influential former premier Hun Sen – father of current prime minister Hun Manet – said that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from Thailand’s military. There was no immediate word of casualties in Cambodia.
Fighting must first stop between Thailand and Cambodia before there can be negotiations, Thailand’s acting premier said on Thursday. Phumtham Wechayachai told a press conference there had been no declaration of war and conflict was not spreading into more provinces.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has requested the UN security council convene an “urgent meeting” over Thursday’s clashes. The letter accuses Thailand of “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks” on Cambodian positions along border areas.
The clashes broke out along a disputed section of their border with both countries accusing the other of provocation, after weeks of simmering tensions between the south-east-Asian neighbours. The conflict started near the Khmer Hindu temple, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning.
Both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of opening fire first. The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault.
Thailand’s military said it had closed all border checkpoints and that fighting was taking place at six different locations.
Earlier on Thursday, Cambodia said it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. That was in response to Thailand closing its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador on Wednesday to protest a landmine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has asked on Thursday for those living in the country to avoid discrimination against Thai companies or citizens. He asked any Cambodian citizens in Thailand who were facing discrimination to contact the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok or the Cambodian Consulate-General in Sa Kaeo province.
Thai news outlet The Nation reports business leaders in the country expressing “deep concern” about the ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
The Thai Chamber of Commerce reportedly said in a statement:
The Thai Chamber of Commerce extends its deepest sympathies and encouragement to the brave personnel of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and all security agencies … who are tirelessly fulfilling their duty to protect the nation’s sovereignty. We pray for the safety of all citizens affected by this perilous situation.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet announced this month that Cambodia would start conscripting civilians next year, activating a long-dormant mandatory draft law, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
He cited rising tensions with Thailand for the decision.
Cambodia’s conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been enforced.
Hun Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country’s 200,000 personnel, requiring citizens age 18 to 30 to enlist in the military.
Here are some of the latest photos of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict coming to us through the wires:
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has asked on Thursday for those living in the country to avoid discrimination against Thai companies or citizens.
He asked any Cambodian citizens in Thailand who were facing discrimination to contact the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok or the Cambodian Consulate-General in Sa Kaeo province.
He said in a post on Facebook:
Even though there is currently fighting between the Cambodian and Thai armies at the border, I appeal to all Cambodian citizens to maintain their morality and dignity, and to avoid discrimination or any actions that could affect the Royal Thai Embassy in Cambodia, Thai companies, and Thai citizens living in Cambodia.
For Cambodian citizens who are living, working, or studying in Thailand and may be facing pressure from discrimination and wish to return to Cambodia, please come back to our country.
If you need assistance, please contact the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok or the Consulate-General of Cambodia in Sa Kaeo Province in Thailand.
Footage from a rocket strike near a petrol station in Sisaket province showed smoke pouring from a convenience store attached to the petrol station, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
Provincial officials said most of the dead were students inside the shop when the attack happened.
Praphas Intaracheun, a 53-year-old gardener from Sisaket province, told AFP:
I heard a loud noise three or four times, and when I looked over, there was a gigantic cloud of smoke.
He was refuelling at another petrol station about 300 metres (984 feet) from the one that was hit.
He said:
I was absolutely shocked. This is the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like this.
I’m scared it might escalate during the night when you can’t see anything. I don’t even dare sleep.
The Thai public health ministry said 35 civilians have been wounded.
On Wednesday, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian ambassador to protest against the landmine blast that wounded its soldiers, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Thai authorities alleged the mines were newly laid along paths that both sides had agreed were supposed to be safe. They said the mines were Russian-made and not of a type employed by Thailand’s military.
Cambodia rejected Thailand’s account as “baseless accusations,” saying that that many unexploded mines and other ordnance are a legacy of 20th-century wars and unrest.
Updated
Thailand and Cambodia's military forces compared
Reuters and the International Institute for Strategic Studies has this comparison of Thailand and Cambodia’s military forces.
BUDGETS AND GROUND PERSONNEL
Cambodia had a defence budget of $1.3bn in 2024 and 124,300 active military personnel. The armed forces were established in 1993 from the merger of the country’s former Communist military and two other resistance armies.
Of this, the Cambodian army is the largest force, with 75,000 soldiers, more than 200 battle tanks and about 480 pieces of artillery.
Thailand, which the U.S. classifies as a major non-Nato ally, has a large, well-funded military, with a defence budget of $5.73bn in 2024 and more than 360,000 active armed forces personnel.
The army has 245,000 personnel, including an estimated 115,000 conscripts, 400 battle tanks, more than 1,200 armoured personnel carriers and 2,600 artillery weapons. It also has its own fleet of aircraft: passenger planes, helicopters such as dozens of US-made Black Hawks, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
AIR FORCES
Cambodia’s air force has 1,500 personnel, with a relatively small fleet of aircraft, including 10 transport planes and 10 transport helicopters. It has no fighter aircraft but has 16 multi- role helicopters, including six Soviet-era Mi-17s and 10 Chinese Z-9s.
Thailand has one of the best equipped and trained air forces in Southeast Asia, with an estimated 46,000 personnel, 112 combat capable aircraft, including 28 F-16s and 11 Swedish Gripen fighter jets, and dozens of helicopters.
NAVIES
The Cambodian navy has an estimated 2,800 personnel, including 1,500 naval infantry, with 13 patrol and coastal combat vessels and one amphibious landing craft.
Thailand’s navy is much larger, with nearly 70,000 personnel, comprising naval aviation, marines, coastal defence and conscripts. It has one aircraft carrier, seven frigates, 68 patrol and coastal combat vessels, and some amphibious and landing ships capable of holding hundreds of troops each and 14 smaller landing craft.
Thailand’s naval aviation division has its own fleet of aircraft, including helicopters and UAVs, besides a marine corps that has 23,000 personnel, backed by dozens of armed fighting vehicles.
Summary of the day so far
Thailand’s health minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, said 12 people, including 11 civilians and one soldier, were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces. He added that 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded. One child was included among the civilians killed. Cambodia’s attacks targeted civilian areas in Thailand, including a hospital, causing fatalities, Thailand’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, urging its neighbour to cease actions it said were severe violations of international law.
Thailand said an F-16 fighter jet had fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. The army said several more jets were ready to be deployed. “We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. Cambodia’s influential former premier Hun Sen – father of current prime minister Hun Manet – said that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from Thailand’s military. There was no immediate word of casualties in Cambodia.
Fighting must first stop between Thailand and Cambodia before there can be negotiations, Thailand’s acting premier said on Thursday. Phumtham Wechayachai told a press conference there had been no declaration of war and conflict was not spreading into more provinces.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has requested the UN security council convene an “urgent meeting” over Thursday’s clashes. The letter accuses Thailand of “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks” on Cambodian positions along border areas.
The clashes broke out along a disputed section of their border with both countries accusing the other of provocation, after weeks of simmering tensions between the south-east-Asian neighbours. The conflict started near the Khmer Hindu temple, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning.
Both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of opening fire first. The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault.
Thailand’s military said it had closed all border checkpoints and that fighting was taking place at six different locations.
Earlier on Thursday, Cambodia said it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. That was in response to Thailand closing its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador on Wednesday to protest a landmine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers.
Thailand’s prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office on 1 July to be investigated for possible ethics violations over her handling of the border dispute after a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian leader the Associated Press (AP) reports.
In the June call, Paetongtarn referred to Cambodian former prime minister Hun Sen as “uncle” and criticised Thai military leadership, remarks framed by critics as disrespectful to national sovereignty.
Hun Sen was succeeded by his son Hun Manet in 2023 but remains influential as Senate president. He was a longtime friend of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but divisive former prime minister, but they became estranged over the border dispute.
The leaked call sparked widespread outrage and protests. Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party-led coalition also weakened when its second-largest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew support, citing her perceived softness toward Cambodia.
Paetongtarn has apologised and argued her comments were a negotiating tactic. Her ally, former defence minister Phumtham Wechayachai, was appointed acting prime minister.
Updated
Here are some of the latest photos of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict coming to us through the wires:
Fighting must first stop between Thailand and Cambodia before there can be negotiations, Thailand’s acting premier said on Thursday, Reuters reports.
Phumtham Wechayachai told a press conference there had been no declaration of war and conflict was not spreading into more provinces.
He said Cambodia had fired heavy weapons into Thailand without any specific targets, resulting in civilian deaths.
The fighting comes after clashes broke out near the Khmer Hindu temple Ta Muen Thom on Thursday morning, along the border of Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.
The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers.
Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault.
The ministry said in a statement:
Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity.
Border disputes are longstanding issues that have caused periodic tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The two neighbours share more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) of land border.
The contesting claims stem largely from a 1907 map drawn under French colonial rule that was used to separate Cambodia from Thailand.
Cambodia has been using the map as a reference to claim territory, while Thailand has argued the map is inaccurate.
The most prominent and violent conflicts have been around the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear temple.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty over the temple area to Cambodia. The ruling became a major irritant in bilateral relations.
Cambodia went back to the court in 2011, after several clashes between its army and Thai forces that killed about 20 people and displaced thousands. The court reaffirmed the ruling in Cambodia’s favour in 2013.
Cambodia has again turned to the international court to resolve the border disputes but Thailand has rejected the court’s jurisdiction.
Updated
Unicef has asked for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise maximum restraint” in light of the civilian casualties that have been reported.
The UN agency said in a statement on Thursday:
Unicef is deeply concerned by the escalating violence along the Thailand-Cambodia border, which has reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, including the killing of children, and the temporary closure of hundreds of schools in affected areas.
Unicef calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and protect children and the critical services they rely on, in line with their obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children must be protected at all times and their safety and wellbeing must be prioritized, while schools must remain safe spaces for learning.
Updated
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thailand’s prime minister who is now suspended from office over her handling of the border dispute, has shared a following statement on social media condemning Cambodia’s actions:
All along, Thailand has made every effort to engage in diplomatic dialogue in order to avoid confrontation, prevent further escalation of the situation and avoid losses by exercising patience and restraint while remaining committed to peaceful means. We firmly believe that peace is the best path to resolving conflicts between nations.
According to reports from the authorities concerned, I affirm that all relevant agencies have been working to their fullest capacity. I sincerely hope that the ongoing measures will bring an end to violence and bring back peace to the people at the earliest opportunity.
I fully support all responsive actions taken by the government, the Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the framework of international law and principles. I send my moral support to all officers who are currently defending our national integrity and sovereignty, as well as to the people in the affected areas. I also express my deepest concern and heartfelt support for everyone’s safety. As a highest priority, I urge all citizens to follow the government’s safety protocols to preserve lives and property.
Paetongtarn was suspended by the constitutional court this month after a recording of her discussing the border dispute with Cambodia’s powerful former leader Hun Sen was leaked.
In the recording, she could be heard calling Hun Sen, an old family friend, “uncle” and saying that if there were anything he wanted, she would “take care of it”.
She also made critical remarks about a senior Thai military commander. Paetongtarn faced huge criticism domestically over the call, with opponents saying she failed to protect the country’s interests.
At least 12 killed in Thailand, health minister says
Thailand’s health minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, said 12 people, including 11 civilians and one soldier, were killed in artillery shelling by Cambodian forces, Reuters reports.
He added that 24 civilians and seven military personnel were wounded.
One child was included among the civilians killed. There was no immediate word of casualties in Cambodia.
The country’s military said in a statement:
The Thai Army condemns Cambodia for using weapons to attack civilians in Thailand. Thailand is ready to protect sovereignty and our people from inhumane action.
Malaysia prime minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday expressed concern about a rapidly escalating border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, saying he will speak with the leaders of both countries by the end of the day, Reuters reports.
Anwar told reporters:
The least we can expect from them is to just stand down and hopefully to try and enter into negotiations.
Malaysia is the current chair of the south-east Asian bloc Asean, in which Thailand and Cambodia are also members.
The Royal Thai Army has given some further detail on today’s fatalities.
Six civilians were killed near a petrol station in Kantharalak district, Sisaket province.
Ten civilians were also injured at the petrol station site.
A further two civilians, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed in Kap Choeng district, Surin province. Two civilians injured at this site were transferred to Kap Choeng hospital.
It also cited attacks in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province, resulting in 1 fatality and 1 injury.
One person was injured in Ban Kruad district, Buriram province, it said.
The army said in a statement:
The Royal Thai Army condemns these violent acts against civilian targets by the Cambodian side and is prepared to undertake military operations to defend our sovereignty and citizens from these acts that violate humanitarian principles to the fullest extent.
Cambodia has long been a staunch ally of China, receiving billions of dollars in investments.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said:
We are deeply concerned over the current developments (and) hope both sides can properly resolve issues through dialogue and consultations.
Good-neighbourliness and properly handling differences are in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides.
Guo said on Thursday that China would adopt a “fair and impartial position” in the clashes, however.
Beijing “has and will continue to in its own way do its best to promote peace and dialogue, and play a constructive role in promoting the easing and cooling down of the situation”, Guo added.
Updated
Here is the full version of the latest statement from Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs.
It accuses Cambodia of laying landmines that have injured Thai military personnel over recent days, and of attacking Thai military bases and civilian areas on Thursday.
The Royal Thai Government condemns in the strongest terms the violations of Thailand’s sovereignty and international law, following the laying of anti-personnel landmines within Thai territory that caused injuries to Thai military personnel while Thai soldiers were patrolling on 16 and 23 July 2025. On the morning of 24 July 2025, heavy artillery was fired into the Thai military base and continued throughout the morning. The attacks also targeted Thai civilian areas, including a hospital, resulting in civilian casualties and fatalities.
Therefore, taking into consideration the severity of the situation as a result of Cambodia’s intentional and premeditated act against Thailand, the Royal Thai Government has decided to downgrade our diplomatic relations and recall the Thai Ambassador to Cambodia back, as well as requests the Government of Cambodia to recall its Ambassador to Thailand, respectively.
The Royal Thai Government urges Cambodia to cease its repeated act which constitutes a severe violation of international law. Such actions fundamentally contradict the principles of good neighborly relations and good faith, and will further undermine Cambodia’s reputation and credibility on the global stage.
The Royal Thai Government calls upon Cambodia to take responsibility for the incidents that have occurred, cease attacks against civilian and military targets, and stop all actions that violate Thailand’s sovereignty. The Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand’s sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles.
Footage shows firefighters battling to extinguish a blaze at a petrol station in Kantharatak district, in Thailand’s border region.
A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia overnight as weeks of tensions over a border dispute escalated into clashes.
11 Thai civilians killed, health minister says
Thailand’s health minister has said that 11 Thai civilians have now been killed in the country’s conflict with Cambodia, Reuters reports.
Somsak Thepsuthin condemned Cambodia’s attack on a hospital, adding that such actions can be considered war crimes and it must take responsibility.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said earlier that Cambodian troops fired “heavy artillery” on a Thai military base on Thursday morning and also targeted civilian areas including a hospital, leading to civilian casualties.
The health minister also called on Cambodia to cease the violence that was currently raging.
Updated
China’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it is deeply concerned about ongoing developments along the Thailand-Cambodia border and hopes that both sides will properly address issues through dialogue and consultations, Reuters reports.
China will play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press conference, adding that China upholds a just and impartial stance.
Thailand condemned Cambodia on Thursday as “inhumane, brutal and war-hungry”, accusing it of targeting homes and civilian infrastructure with artillery in clashes over a disputed border, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub called on the international community to condemn Cambodia for its artillery barrage, which has killed at least one person and wounded several more.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has requested the UN security council convene an “urgent meeting” over Thursday’s clashes.
Hun Manet writes in a letter to Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, president of the security council for July 2025:
Considering the recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which have gravely threatened peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request you to convene an urgent meeting of the Security Council to stop Thailand’s aggression.
The letter accuses Thailand of “unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks” on Cambodian positions along border areas.
Both Thailand and Cambodia have blamed each other for the clashes on Thursday.
Nine Thai civilians killed in conflict, army says
An armed conflict that erupted on Thursday between Cambodia and Thailand has killed nine Thai civilians across three provinces, the Thai army said, Reuters reports.
Those killed included an 8-year-old boy.
A further 14 people in Thailand have been injured as a result of the fighting, the army said in a statement.
Cambodia on Thursday accused Thailand of “unprovoked military aggression” as the two sides clashed in a border dispute, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
The Cambodian foreign ministry said it condemned “in the strongest possible terms this reckless and hostile act by Thailand”.
Below is a video showing some of the most recent developments in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
Footage from a Thai broadcaster showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker amid explosions and gunfire in Thailand’s Surin province bordering Cambodia.
China urged its citizens in Cambodia on Thursday to avoid areas near the frontier with Thailand, as the two countries’ militaries traded fire in an escalating conflict over a disputed border, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
The embassy wrote in an online post:
The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia advises Chinese citizens... to closely monitor the local security situation, remain vigilant, take enhanced precautions, ensure their personal safety.
What we know so far
At least two Thai civilians were killed and two others injured by shelling from Cambodia on Thursday, according to a district official, while the Thai army said it had launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia.
Thailand said an F-16 fighter jet had fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. The army said several more jets were ready to be deployed.
“We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters.
Cambodia’s influential former premier Hun Sen – father of current prime minister Hun Manet – said that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from Thailand’s military.
In a statement posted online, Hun Manet said “Cambodia has always taken a stand to solve problems peacefully, but in this case we have no choice but to respond with armed forces against armed aggression.”
Here’s an overview of the conflict as it stands:
Fatal clashes have broken out between Thai and Cambodian troops along a disputed section of their border with both countries accusing the other of provocation, after weeks of simmering tensions between the south-east-Asian neighbours. Clashes broke out near the Khmer Hindu temple, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning.
Both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of opening fire first. The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault.
Thailand’s military said it had closed all border checkpoints and that fighting was taking place at six different locations.
Cambodia’s military has launched attacks targeting civilian areas in Thailand, including a hospital, causing fatalities, Thailand’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, urging its neighbour to cease actions it said were severe violations of international law. Thailand “is prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand’s sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles,” the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier on Thursday, Cambodia said it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. That was in response to Thailand closing its northeastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador on Wednesday to protest a landmine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers.
The hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand that have continued to escalate in recent months were initially ignited after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May in an armed confrontation in an area both countries claim as their own.
What has led to today's clashes?
To recap, before today’s outbreak of fighting, Cambodia said earlier on Thursday that it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Thailand to their lowest level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok.
That was in response to Thailand closing its north-eastern border crossings with Cambodia, withdrawing its ambassador and expelling the Cambodian ambassador on Wednesday in protest against a landmine blast that wounded five Thai soldiers, as the AP reported.
Relations between the south-east Asian neighbours have deteriorated sharply since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in an armed confrontation in another of the several small patches of land both countries claim as their own territory.
Updated
Thailand says civilian killed in clashes
At least one Thai civilian has been killed in the rapidly intensifying Thai-Cambodian fighting, Thailand is saying.
Three other civilians – including a five-year-old boy – were seriously injured after Cambodia fired shots into a residential area in Thailand’s Surin province, said a Thai defence ministry spokesperson, Surasant Kongsiri, cited by the Associated Press.
The Thai army said it had launched airstrikes on ground targets in Cambodia. The Cambodian defence ministry said Thailand’s army used fire jets to drop bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Clashes were ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Surasant said.
Updated
Cambodia’s defence ministry has condemned what it called Thailand’s “reckless and brutal military aggression” on Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The ministry added that Thai fighter jets had been deployed and dropped two bombs on a road, as cited by Reuters and reported earlier.
Thailand 'closing border' with Cambodia
Thailand is closing all border points with Cambodia, Reuters is quoting a Thai military official as saying.
Photographs are arriving over the news wires of Thais fleeing today’s clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops.
Updated
Cambodia’s defence ministry has confirmed Thai airstrikes on the country, saying Thailand used fighter jets to drop two bombs on a road.
Reuters also quotes the Cambodian defence ministry as accusing Thailand of violating an agreement with Cambodia and opening fire on the Cambodian army.
Updated
Cambodia’s defence ministry has not immediately responded to a Reuters request for confirmation of Thailand’s claim of airstrikes against Cambodian military targets.
The Thai army said an F-16 fighter jet was deployed against Cambodia’s military on Thursday as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into fighting.
The army said that of the six F-16s that Thailand had prepared to deploy along the disputed border, one of the fighter jets fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target.
Both countries have accused each other of starting Thursday’s clash.
Updated
Thailand launches airstrikes on Cambodian targets, army says
The Thai army says it has launched airstrikes on two Cambodian military targets, news agencies are reporting.
“We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters.
Updated
Thailand’s army said of Thursday’s initial clash that its forces heard an unmanned aerial vehicle before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thailand’s station.
It said Thai soldiers tried to shout at them to defuse the situation but the Cambodian side started to open fire, the AP reported.
Cambodia’s defence ministry said Thailand started the armed clash and Cambodia “acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity”.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet has said Thailand attacked Cambodian army positions at Prasat Ta Moan Thom and Prasat Ta Krabey in Oddar Meanchey province and expanded to the area along Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province.
“Cambodia has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems,” he said, quoted by the Associated Press. “But in this case, we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression.”
Both Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other of opening fire first in a contested border area on Thursday.
Updated
Further to the last post, Thailand’s second army region has said on social media that one F-16 has been deployed for action against Cambodia’s military along their border and the fighter jet is among six being readied, Reuters is reporting.
Updated
Thailand deploys F-16 fighters to border – military
Thailand’s military says it has deployed F-16 fighter jets against Cambodia in the border area, Reuters is reporting.
Updated
A Thai army official has been quoted by Reuters as saying the military is readying to deploy six F-16 fighter jets along the Cambodian border.
More on this when it comes to hand.
Two killed in Cambodian shelling, says Thai official
At least two Thai civilians have been killed and two others injured by the shelling from the Cambodian side on Thursday, a Thai district official told Reuters.
About 40,000 civilians from 86 villages in Thailand have been evacuated to safer locations, the district chief of Kabcheing in Surin province, Sutthirot Charoenthanasak, told the news agency.
Updated
Thai embassy urges nationals to leave Cambodia over border clashes
Agence France-Presse is reporting that Thailand’s embassy has urged nationals to leave Cambodia over the border clashes.
It comes after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia’s envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine in the disputed area.
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of clashes on the Thai-Cambodia border.
Thai and Cambodian soldiers have fired at each other in a contested border area on Thursday, after the nations downgraded their diplomatic relations in a rapidly escalating dispute.
It was not immediately clear if the clash was ongoing. A livestream video from Thailand’s side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker Thursday morning as explosions sounded periodically.
The clash happened in an area where the ancient Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple stands along the border of Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia Oddar Meanchey province.
You can read our full report here:
