Select Language:
Zonal authority officials reported that military vehicles are visible in Sisaket province, as both Cambodia and Thailand accused each other of initiating fresh artillery strikes across disputed border regions early on July 27, 2025. — Reuters
Thailand announced that Malaysia will host peace talks on Monday, with both nations’ leaders expected to participate. The negotiations are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time, with Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai leading Thailand’s delegation, according to a government statement released Sunday night. Malaysia, serving as chair of the ASEAN regional cooperation forum, has also informed Thailand that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will join the discussions.
The border conflict has heightened tensions between Thailand and Cambodia since late May, following the death of a Cambodian soldier during a brief skirmish. Both countries increased military presence along the border amid a deepening diplomatic crisis that nearly toppled Thailand’s fragile coalition government. Hostilities resumed Thursday, escalating into the most intense fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in over ten years.
The death toll has surpassed 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and 8 in Cambodia. Over 200,000 residents have been evacuated from the affected border areas. The forthcoming talks follow Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent proposal for a ceasefire, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement Saturday that the two leaders had agreed to seek a cessation of hostilities.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh continue to blame each other for sparking the recent violence. Cambodia’s Defense Ministry accused Thailand of shelling and ground assaults early Sunday, claiming heavy artillery targeted historic temple sites. A student from Phnom Penh University expressed hope that Thailand would agree to stop fighting, advocating for peace.
Thailand’s military reported Cambodian forces fired into multiple areas, including near civilian residences, and were preparing long-range rocket launchers. The Thai army warned that Cambodian troops might be gearing up for increased military operations to inflict maximum damage before negotiations could be finalized. Shelling was heard throughout Sunday in Sisaket province, where a local health clinic located about 10 km from the border was damaged—its windows shattered, walls collapsed, and wiring exposed. Media indicated the clinic had been hit two days earlier, shortly after residents evacuated.
Local residents near Sisaket shared that only a few men remained to manage their homes, staying near makeshift bunkers amid periodic artillery fire. A resident, Thavorn Toosawan, praised U.S. efforts to promote a ceasefire, believing it could lead to peace.
The long-standing dispute centers on unmarked sections along Thailand and Cambodia’s 817-kilometer border, notably over control of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear. Court rulings awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions escalated in 2008 when Cambodia sought UNESCO World Heritage status for it, leading to years of skirmishes that resulted in over a dozen deaths. Cambodia recently requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the boundary issues; Thailand, however, has refused to accept the court’s jurisdiction, advocating for bilateral negotiations instead.
Add us on ChatGPT
Add us on Perplexity
