War erupted along the Thai-Cambodian border on 24 Jul 2025, killing at least 11 Thai civilians and injuring several others in a dramatic escalation of the long-running territorial dispute.
Deadly Rocket Strikes Hit Thai Civilians
Rockets allegedly fired from Cambodia struck a PTT gas station in Ban Phue, Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province in southeastern Thailand. The attack caused an explosion and fire at the facility, which included a 7-Eleven outlet.
Two BM-21 rockets fell on Ban Jorok village in Tambon Dan, severely injuring four people initially. Sutthiroj Charoenthanasak, chief of Surin’s Karb Choeng district, confirmed that two of the injured died on their way to hospital.
The other two injured were identified as an adult and a 12-year-old boy. Al Jazeera later reported at 4:30pm on Thursday that casualties from the gas station attack had reached six civilians.
Another shell fell outside the fence of Phanom Dong Rak hospital in Surin. The hospital had evacuated all staff and patients before the strike.
Bangkok Post reported that the Cambodian military action targeted a Thai military base in the northeastern province of Surin, launching rockets towards Sisaket. Fighting across several areas resulted in multiple casualties.
Video footage of the aftermath circulated widely on social media, showing a body in the back of a pick-up truck.
Thai F-16 Jets Launch Retaliatory Air Strikes Amid Escalating Border Row
Thailand deployed six F-16 fighter jets from Ubon Ratchathani province in the late morning. The aircraft hit two Cambodian military targets on the ground, according to Royal Thai Army deputy spokesperson Col Ritcha Suksuwanon.
Cambodia’s defence ministry reported that the jets dropped two bombs on a road. The ministry “strongly condemned the reckless and brutal military aggression.”
The conflict began shortly after 7am on 24 Jul 2025. Thai authorities maintained that Cambodia initiated the attack after artillery and small-arms fire were exchanged near the Khao Phra Wihan area in Sisaket.
The Thai army said its forces heard an unmanned aerial vehicle before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thailand’s station. Thai soldiers attempted to defuse the situation by shouting at them, but the Cambodian side opened fire first, according to the Thai account.
Cambodia’s defence ministry contradicted this version, stating there had been an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops. Cambodian forces responded in self-defence, the ministry claimed.
“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,” Cambodia’s defence ministry said.
Clashes continued in at least six areas along the contested border. In Ban Sao Thong Chai, Thai villagers took shelter in makeshift bunkers built during the 2011 border standoff.
China Calls for Dialogue as Regional Tensions Mount Over Ancient Temple Dispute
China expressed deep concern over the deadly clashes between its neighbours on 24 Jul 2025. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun called for peaceful resolution through dialogue.
“We are deeply concerned over the current developments and hope both sides can properly resolve issues through dialogue and consultations,” Guo said. “Good-neighbourliness and properly handling differences are in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides.”
The neighbours remain locked in a bitter dispute over the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. The area houses several ancient temples.
The territorial squabble has persisted for decades, erupting into bloody military clashes more than 15 years ago. Violence flared again in May 2025, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight.
Cambodia has long been a staunch ally of China, receiving billions of dollars in investments. Guo said China would adopt a “fair and impartial position” in the clashes.
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.
Preparations were underway to evacuate civilians as a precautionary measure in border areas of four provinces.
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