Thai fighters dropped bombs on Cambodia’s military targets along the contested border on Thursday. This was a dramatic escalation of tensions emitted into the wider conflict, causing an armed conflict between two Southeast Asian neighbors who killed at least eight civilians.
The violence was an incident in which a Thai soldier cratered relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh to its lowest level in years, the day after he lost his leg in a landmine explosion. Thailand has since closed all border intersections with Cambodia.
Thailand’s Region 2 Military Command in the northeast states in the Facebook post that the F-16 fighter jets have been deployed. It also claimed it had “destroyed” two regional military support units in Cambodia.
Colonel Richa Squanont, a spokesman for the Thai deputy army, said the strike was intended solely for military targets.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Thai F-16 fighters have dropped two bombs on a road near the ancient Plihaa temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It denounced what was called “brutal, wild, violent military attacks,” and accused Thailand of violating international law.
“Cambodia reserves the right to legal self-defense and will respond decisively to Thailand’s violent attacks,” the statement said, adding that the military is “fully prepared to protect the sovereignty of the kingdom and its people.”
Armed conflicts between Thailand and Cambodian forces broke out at six locations along the border of the conflict early Thursday, causing civilian casualties and prompting evacuation of Thai residents, military officials said.
At least eight people were killed in a clash with Cambodia on Thursday, Thai police said.
Thailand also accused Cambodian troops of launching two BM-21 rockets into a civilian area in Kakchen district in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, causing injury to three civilians. Thailand’s foreign ministry said Cambodian attacks on private areas of Cambodia, including Surin’s hospitals, continued throughout Thursday.
“These actions resulted in further loss of life and injuries among Thai people,” a ministry official said at a press conference.
In the video on Thai PBS, in the sound of the shooting, residents of Surin could be seen running for cover and taking shelter to the bunker amid the sound of the shooting.
Two hospitals in the province near the site of collision evacuation patients, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health.
The clash comes after five Thai soldiers were injured in a mine explosion on Wednesday. The incident led to Thailand downgrade diplomatic relations with Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have developed complex relationships with both cooperation and competition over the last few decades. The two countries share a 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border. This is mapped primarily by the French when they ruled Cambodia as a colony.
The recent flare began early in the morning when Thai troops said Cambodians fired at a Thai military base in an area near the ancient Muen Thom Temple. Cambodia said it had deployed unmanned drones in front of the temple before sending troops with weapons.
According to Thai military, the clashes erupted along the entire border area, with small amounts of weapons and heavy weapons being used.
Cambodia is challenging its account. A spokesman for the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said the military acted in self-defense after an unprovoked invasion from Thai soldiers.
“The Cambodian forces acted strictly within the boundaries of self-defense in response to unprovoked aggression by Thai forces that violated the integrity of our territory,” said Lt. Gen. Marie Sochita.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense accused Thailand of deploying drones, saying that Thai forces have launched troops attacks on Cambodian troops stationed in the temple.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane said in a Facebook post that Thailand attacked the standard locations of two temples in Oddal Jushey province and the positions of Cambodian troops in Cambodia’s Puri Bi Bihaa province and Ubon Ratchathani provinces of Thailand.
“Cambodia has always maintained its position as a peaceful solution to the issue, but in this case there is no choice but to compete for armed troops against armed invasions,” the prime minister said.
Hun Mane called on Cambodian citizens to stay calm.
The armed clash comes a day after a second Thai soldier in a week lost his leg to a mine explosion at another point along the border.
Tensions between the two neighbors had already been sour in May when Cambodian soldiers were killed in a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops where both sides fired in the contested border area of the Emerald Triangle where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
The conflict then brought great political consequences to Thailand, robbing the enthusiasm of nationalists in both countries.
Thai Prime Minister Paetong Tarun Sinawatra was suspended from duties earlier this month and could face fire after a leaked phone call with powerful former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, who appeared to be criticising the actions of her own military in the conflict.
In 2011, Thai and Cambodian forces clashed in the area surrounding the 11th century Purihaa temple, kicking out thousands of people on either side and killing at least 20 people.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
