BANGKOK, Thailand – Armed clashes broke out between Thai and Cambodian soldiers along a disputed border region on Thursday leaving at least 12 people dead, an escalation in a long-simmering conflict that had grown more tense in recent weeks.
The two sides fired small arms, rockets and artillery, and Thailand called in airstrikes on targets in Cambodia. Thai officials said Thursday they were closing the border entirely.
The flashpoint appeared to be the ancient Ta Muon Thom temple, a disputed site nestled on a mountain in Thailand’s Surin province. The initial engagement rapidly expanded, engulfing four Thai provinces bordering Cambodia’s northern frontier: Surin; Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathan, and Buriram, according to Thailand’s 2nd Region Army Command.
Each country accused the other of starting Thursday’s skirmishes. The Thai army said its forces heard a drone before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thai military positions at the border, then opening fire. Cambodia’s defense ministry said that Thailand deployed a drone first before opening fire and that Cambodian troops reacted in self-defense.
In a statement, the Thai military said it “condemns Cambodia for using weapons to attack civilians in Thailand. Thailand is ready to protect sovereignty and our people from inhuman action.”
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote to the president of the U.N. Security Council asking for an urgent meeting to stop “unprovoked and premeditated military aggression” by Thailand. In a post on Facebook, he appealed to Cambodians 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.”
Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Vejjayachai, said in remarks to reporters that the fighting must stop before there can be negotiations with Cambodia.
Those killed included one soldier and 11 civilians, according to the Thai health ministry. At least eight soldiers and 35 civilians have been injured, the ministry said. Thailand has evacuated more than 40,000 people from border areas, moving many of them to temporary shelters.
Cambodia has not yet commented on casualties on its side. Defense ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata did not provide detail when asked at a news conference.
Thursday’s fighting came after weeks of escalating tension following a shooting incident on May 28 that killed a Cambodian soldier. Since then, Cambodia has petitioned the International Court of Justice, banned some Thai imports, and announced it would begin conscripting younger citizens starting next year.
On Wednesday, Thailand expelled Cambodia’s ambassador and recalled its envoy to Phnom Penh after previously closing some border crossings. Thailand’s former prime minister was suspended after a leaked call between her and Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former prime minister, sparked a political fracas.
The 800 kilometer long boundary between Cambodia and Thailand has been a source of contention for decades, with ancient temples and historical claims frequently igniting diplomatic friction.
Includes reporting by RFA Khmer and Pimuk Rakkanam for RFA, as well as Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press, and Reuters.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Staff.