More than 135,000 displaced as Thailand-Cambodia border clashes enter second day

For the second straight day, gunfire and explosions rocked the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia. Officials confirmed that at least 16 people have died and more than 135,000 civilians have evacuated since clashes reignited early Friday morning.

The long-standing tension over a poorly demarcated 500-mile border has escalated sharply. Both countries claim religious sites near the frontier, a region once defined by France during its colonial rule over Cambodia.

Thai army spokesperson Col. Richa Sooksuwanon said Cambodia initiated Friday’s fighting around 4:30 a.m. local time. Cambodian forces used both small arms and heavy weapons. Thai troops responded with artillery fire in Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces.

The Thai military warned residents to avoid these areas and confirmed bomb disposal teams are recovering bodies from Kantharalak district, which Cambodian rockets hit Thursday. Videos from Reuters showed Thai artillery firing back, filling the sky with smoke and thunderous booms.

On Thursday, Thailand scrambled F-16 fighter jets and struck targets inside Cambodian territory. The Thai army later released undated drone footage showing bombs dropped on what it described as military positions across the border. CNN has not independently verified the video.

Rising Casualties and Mass Displacement

The Thai Ministry of Health reported at least 16 deaths within Thailand, mostly civilians. In Cambodia, officials said one person died and five more sustained injuries in Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand’s Buri Ram, Surin, and Si Saket provinces.

“The exchange of fighting… is still happening,” said Met Measpheakdey, spokesperson from Oddar Meanchey, noting that tensions remain “heated.”

Cambodian authorities accused Thailand of using cluster munitions in at least two locations. As of Friday, over 4,000 Cambodians had evacuated, according to the Associated Press.

Footage from Oddar Meanchey showed villagers fleeing at night, loading their belongings into vehicles and sleeping under makeshift tarps. In Thailand, more than 130,000 residents have moved into temporary shelters, many resting on mats and eating from plastic containers in university halls.

“We’re shocked,” said evacuee Ngerntra Pranoram in Surin province. “Nobody wants this. It’s very hard for the elderly and disabled to escape. Those without cars really struggle.”

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok urged American citizens to stay at least 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from the border.

History and Power Dynamics

The latest violence follows a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Skirmishes have occurred intermittently since May, when a Cambodian soldier died in a similar confrontation in the Emerald Triangle where Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos meet.

Political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak from Chulalongkorn University noted deep-seated resentment on both sides. “Thais believe France took land from them and gave it to Cambodia. Cambodians feel this land belongs to their ancient civilization,” he said.

Thailand enjoys a clear military advantage. Its armed forces boast over 361,000 active personnel triple Cambodia’s. As a major non-NATO U.S. ally, Thailand has received decades of American military support.

Cambodia, however, also maintains close ties with China. Both Beijing and Washington have called for de-escalation, urging restraint from both nations.

Domestic Fallout in Thailand

Back home, Thailand faces political instability. The Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, remains suspended following a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen. In the call, she criticized her own army’s role in the conflict.

Thailand’s military continues to play a powerful role in national politics. With a history of coups, it claims to act as the guardian of the monarchy.

As violence continues and evacuations grow, fears rise that this regional dispute may spiral further, drawing in international actors and deepening unrest along Southeast Asia’s most volatile border.

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