Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have sharply escalated after Thai forces launched airstrikes along their contested border early on December 8, 2025. The strikes, ordered following deadly clashes between Thai and Cambodian military units, have rekindled a longstanding territorial dispute — prompting evacuations of civilians on both sides and raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Airstrikes Resurface as Ceasefire Collapses
Thai military authorities confirmed that air attacks were launched on Cambodian positions around 5:00 a.m., shortly after reports of exchanges of small arms and heavy-weapon fire. The military said one Thai soldier was killed and at least four others wounded in these clashes, which they characterized as violations of the recent ceasefire.
Civilian Casualties, Mass Displacement, Regional Alarm
Cambodian officials reported that at least four civilians were killed and several others injured in the strikes; several Cambodian families were forced to flee their homes.
On the Thai side, more than 385,000 residents across several border districts were ordered to evacuate, with tens of thousands already relocated to temporary shelters. Meanwhile, over 1,100 Cambodian families were recorded as displaced.
International leaders are urging both countries to de-escalate and return to diplomatic channels. The rapid unraveling of peace efforts has sparked concern across Southeast Asia about a potential larger conflagration.
Decades-Old Border Dispute Reignites
The clash is rooted in a century-old territorial disagreement tracing back to colonial-era maps marking an 817 km border — a demarcation that remains ambiguously defined.
Earlier this year, a five-day conflict erupted as tensions flared over contested border zones. A ceasefire was signed in July and later reaffirmed in October under international mediation, but the deal was suspended recently by Thailand following allegations of new landmines along the frontier — allegations strongly denied by Cambodia.
