Cambodia, Thailand exchange heavy artillery fire, thousands flee

SURIN, Thailand,— Intense fighting between Thailand and Cambodia continued for a second day Friday, with both nations trading artillery strikes along their disputed border.

The clashes have killed at least 16 people, displaced over 130,000 in Thailand, and forced thousands more from homes in Cambodia.

Gunfire and shelling began before dawn Friday, escalating quickly and spreading across at least a dozen locations, according to Thailand’s military.

Many of the affected areas lie along a 210-kilometer stretch of contested frontier where territorial claims have lingered unresolved for over a century.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai accused Cambodian forces of crossing into Thai territory and firing on civilian areas.

“These acts are putting lives in danger,” he said. “We are in a situation involving heavy weapons, and it may spiral into broader conflict.”

The Thai military said Cambodia used artillery and BM-21 rocket systems, allegedly hitting civilian targets such as schools and hospitals.

“These actions are unacceptable and constitute war crimes,” Thai defense officials said in a statement. Cambodia has not responded to those allegations but has denied initiating the conflict.

Cambodia’s defense ministry, however, condemned what it called Thailand’s use of cluster munitions. Cambodia’s landmine authority stated that the use of such ordnance violates international laws.

Thailand is not a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Thailand’s mobile artillery unit fires towards Cambodia’s side after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting Surin, Thailand, July 25, 2025. Photo: Reuters

The violence intensified Thursday following a diplomatic breakdown. Thailand had recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia’s envoy after a Thai soldier lost a limb in a landmine explosion. Thai officials alleged the mine was newly laid by Cambodian troops, a claim Phnom Penh dismissed.

In Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodian officials reported one civilian killed and five injured. Approximately 1,500 families have been evacuated.

In Thailand’s Surin province, over 130,000 residents have been relocated from conflict zones, according to the Thai Health Ministry.

At one temporary shelter in Surin, evacuees gathered at a university gymnasium, queuing for food and supplies. Among them, 67-year-old Aung Ying Yong tearfully described the chaos. “We were terrified by the explosions. We didn’t expect to live like this.”

In another part of Surin, seamstress Pornpan Sooksai said she fled with her cats packed into cloth cages. “I was doing laundry when we heard the first booms. We had our bags ready, so we ran.”

Thailand also carried out an airstrike Thursday using an F-16 fighter jet in what officials described as a defensive response. Cambodia labeled the strike “reckless” and has called for a U.N. Security Council emergency meeting.

The United Nations confirmed it will hold a closed-door session Friday to assess the situation.

Meanwhile, the United States, Malaysia, and China have offered to mediate, though Bangkok has rejected outside involvement.

“This is an issue between our two nations,” Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told reporters. “We prefer to resolve it through our bilateral mechanisms.”

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet has appealed to the Security Council, describing Thailand’s military action as “unprovoked aggression.” No official casualty numbers from the Cambodian government have been released.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, chair of ASEAN, stated he had spoken with both sides and urged a peaceful solution. “Dialogue must prevail,” he said in a post on social media.

Despite global pressure for restraint, both countries remain on high alert.

(With files from Reuters | Associated Press)