The long‑running border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has erupted into its sharpest conflict in over ten years.
Since Thursday, troops from both countries have traded heavy artillery and rocket fire along multiple disputed sections of their shared frontier, escalating the situation into widespread violence.
Across at least 12 hotspots in provinces such as Surin and Ubon Ratchathani, residents have been caught in the crossfire.
Thailand reports that Cambodian forces launched sustained shelling using field artillery and Russian BM‑21 rocket systems, while Thai units responded with counter‑battery fire and deployed F‑16 jets to strike military positions across the border.
Health officials in Thailand say at least 14 civilians and one soldier have died so far, including a child, with dozens more wounded.
Damage has been reported to civilian infrastructure, including a petrol station, homes, and a hospital.
Cambodia confirmed one civilian fatality and several injuries in its northern border regions, and authorities there evacuated over 1,500 families from areas at risk.
More than 100,000 people have fled homes on the Thai side, while tens of thousands of Cambodians have sought refuge away from the fighting frontlines.
Emergency shelters are filling rapidly, with aid agencies warning of food shortages, overcrowding, and lack of medical support.
The violence erupted following months of increasing tension along the border, with previous skirmishes and unresolved disputes over land boundaries and cultural heritage sites such as the Preah Vihear temple.
Thai authorities earlier reported several landmine injuries to soldiers during patrols in contested areas.
Both governments have now expelled each other’s ambassadors, worsening already fragile diplomatic ties.
Cambodia has formally requested an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, while ASEAN chair Malaysia has offered to mediate.
Regional powers including the United States and China are urging restraint.
Military analysts suggest that if no immediate diplomatic intervention occurs, the conflict could grow more intense in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, local communities remain trapped between artillery barrages and uncertainty.