Tens of Thousands Flee Thailand-Cambodia Border as Fighting Intensifies in the Region

The New York Times reported that more than 131,000 people in Thailand have evacuated the area as of 8:47 a.m. ET on 25 July. Earlier reporting from the Associated Press (AP) said that at least 4,000 people have fled villages near the border in Cambodia. Fifteen people, including 14 civilians, have been killed in the conflict so far.

Tensions were already high along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, but fighting broke out on Wednesday after a landmine exploded along the border and wounded five Thai solders. The two nations had a planned ceasefire agreement set for midnight on Thursday, but the Times reported that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Thailand had reversed its position.

“The Thai military reported clashes early Friday in multiple areas, including along the border at Chong Bok and Phu Makhuea in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province, at Phanom Dong Rak in Surin province, and near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple,” the AP reported.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said that the clashes could “move towards war” since heavy weapons are already being used and the fighting has spread to 12 locations along the border, the BBC reported.

“Thailand also accused Cambodia of firing into civilian areas and evacuated all villages deemed to be within the radius of its rockets,” according to the BBC. “Cambodia, for its part, accused Thailand of using cluster munitions. Cluster munitions are banned in much of the world because of their indiscriminate effect on civilian populations. Thailand has not responded to the allegations.”

Early Friday morning the Thai government shut down border crossings in both Chanthaburi and Trat provinces—including land and maritime routes, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Thailand said in a press release. The Thai Ministry of Public Health also fully or partially closed 11 hospitals in the border region, and the Thai Ministry of Education temporarily closed 751 schools across six provinces.

Cambodia and Thailand share a nearly 500-mile border that has been contested for almost 100 years, most recently with clashes in 2008 and 2011. The border region is a thick jungle that contains many culturally significant temples that have become a source of conflict for the two countries.

“Prasat Ta Muen Thom was constructed in the 12th century with laterite—a reddish porous stone—and comprises a wide set of archaeological sites nearby,” according to the Times. “The temple, accessible from both sides, is in a poorly demarcated part of the border and stands as an important religious and cultural site for both Cambodians and the Thai. Troops from both countries constantly patrol the temple’s area, leading to frequent skirmishes.”