Thailand and Cambodia are locked in fierce armed conflict along the border, with both sides exchanging fire for the second consecutive day. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Friday that they reject the intervention of a third party to mediate and emphasize that they only accept resolving the dispute through bilateral dialogue, demanding Cambodia to cease its attacks. The conflict has spread to multiple border areas between these two Southeast Asian countries, resulting in the most intense fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in over a decade, with at least 16 deaths reported, mostly Thai civilians. Thai authorities have evacuated over 100,000 residents from the conflict-affected areas.
The spokesperson for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikorndej Balankura, said in an interview with Reuters, “I believe we do not currently need any third-party mediation.” He emphasized, “We insist that the bilateral mechanism is the best way to resolve this conflict as it is an issue between the two countries.” Nikorndej stressed that Cambodia must halt border violence and added, “We still leave the door open for dialogue.”
Cambodia government stated on Thursday evening that Thai military airstrikes and shelling led to damage to a part of the world heritage site, Prasat Preah Vihear, and strongly condemned it as a “significant crime against world heritage.” ASEAN’s current chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has separately spoken with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, urging both sides to immediately cease fire.
Nikorndej mentioned, “If the ASEAN family wishes to facilitate bilateral negotiations and return to a constructive path, we are willing to accept.” Cambodia has requested a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn Thailand’s military actions, with the council expected to hold a closed-door meeting on Friday to discuss the situation.
The trigger for this conflict was Thai soldiers being injured by landmines in the border area earlier this week. Thai authorities accused Cambodia of recently planting these landmines, which the Cambodian government denounced as baseless allegations. Following the incident, Thailand recalled its ambassador in Phnom Penh on Wednesday and expelled the Cambodian ambassador in response.
The border sovereignty dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has a long history, with the two countries sharing over 800 kilometers (approximately 500 miles) of land border. The dispute stems from a map drawn during the French colonial period in 1907, with Cambodia claiming territorial sovereignty based on this map while Thailand questions its accuracy.
The most contentious location is the ancient Prasat Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that the temple area belongs to Cambodia, a decision that has been a long-standing point of contention in their bilateral relations.
In 2011, after clashes between Cambodian and Thai military led to around 20 deaths and thousands displaced, Cambodia brought its case to the International Court of Justice again. In 2013, the court reiterated a ruling favorable to Cambodia.
Currently, Cambodia is once again seeking the intervention of the International Court of Justice to resolve the border dispute, but Thailand refuses to accept the court’s jurisdiction. Despite calls for a ceasefire from multiple parties, reports of multiple firefights in the Thai-Cambodian border area on Friday morning indicate that the situation remains tense with no apparent signs of cooling down.