Thursday 11 / December / 2025
Phnom Penh: Deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia near the disputed border between the two Southeast Asian neighbors continued ahead of an expected phone call from US President Donald Trump to the two nations' leaders on Thursday.
At least 19 people have died in the latest violence, including soldiers and civilians, while hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been displaced.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday he would "explain and clarify" the situation to Trump during the call.
"He will need to hear the details directly from me if he contacts me," he told reporters. "I believe the foreign minister will already be providing information at the diplomatic level."
This is the deadliest skirmish between the two countries since a five-day war in July, which ended with a ceasefire brokered by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
What you need to know about the dispute
At the centre of the decades-old border dispute is the Emerald Triangle — a border region housing several temples to which both countries lay claim
Thailand and Cambodia signed a peace deal in October on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit
The ceasefire was called off after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying fresh landmines in the region
Both countries have repeatedly blamed each other for starting the fighting
This week, Thailand carried out air strikes on Cambodian territory, which it claims was in response to an on-ground attack
Cambodia initially said it did not retaliate but then vowed to fight back
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from both sides of the border, some moved to shelters
Cambodia asks UNSC to intervene
In a letter to the UN Security Council, Cambodia's Ambassador to the United Nations asked the international body to mount pressure on Thailand for "an immediate cessation of all attacks," followed by an independent fact-finding mission.
The letter described the latest Thai military operations as "violations of international humanitarian law."
Meanwhile Cambodia's defense Ministry accused Thailand of targeting schools and temples. Thailand has denied that it targets civilian infrastructure, which is a war crime under international law.
