Tens of thousands of individuals sought refuge as border preventing between Thailand and Cambodia entered its third day on Saturday (July 26, 2025), heightening fears of an extended conflict with the whole dying toll reaching 32.
The United Nations (UN) Security Council held an emergency assembly behind closed doorways on Friday (July 25, 2025) in New York, whereas Malaysia, which chairs the 10-nation regional bloc that features each nations, referred to as for an finish to hostilities and provided to mediate.
“The council did not issue a statement but a council diplomat said all 15 members called on the parties to deescalate, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. The council also urged the regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN, to help resolve the border fighting,” the diplomat stated, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of the assembly was non-public.
Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Chhea Keo informed reporters afterward that his nation, which referred to as for the emergency assembly, “asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute.” He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand asking how a small nation with no air pressure may assault a a lot bigger nation with a military thrice its dimension, stressing, “We do not do that.”
UN Security Council urges restraint by each side
Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Chhea Keo stated the Security Council referred to as for each side to train “maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution” which is what Cambodia is looking for as nicely.
Asked what he expects subsequent, the Ambassador stated: “Let’s see how the call can be heard by all the members there.” Thailand’s UN Ambassador left the assembly with out stopping to speak to reporters.
The Thai Health Ministry on Friday (July 25, 2025) stated greater than 58,000 have fled from villages to short-term shelters in 4 affected border provinces, whereas Cambodian authorities stated greater than 23,000 individuals have evacuated from areas close to the border.
The newest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the 2 nations has killed at the least 19 individuals in Thailand — largely civilians —whereas Cambodia stated on Saturday (July 26, 2025) that 12 individuals extra individuals have killed on its aspect, bringing its dying toll to 13.
Cambodia requires ceasefire with Thailand after lethal clashes
Thailand’s performing Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated on Friday (July 25, 2025) that Cambodia could also be responsible of conflict crimes owing to the deaths of civilians and harm induced to a hospital. He stated Thailand had exercised the “utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression” from Cambodia.
Tensions over a disputed border space erupted into preventing after a land mine explosion alongside the border wounded 5 Thai troopers on Wednesday (July 23, 2025.)
Clashes escape throughout border areas
The Thai army reported clashes on Friday (July 25, 2025) in a number of areas alongside the border, together with close to the traditional Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by each side. The Associated Press reporters close to the border may hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours.
The Thai Army stated Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officers described as “appropriate supporting fire” in return. Thailand stated six of its troopers and 13 civilians have been killed whereas 29 troopers and 30 civilians have been wounded.
Early on Saturday (July 26, 2025), Cambodian Gen Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, informed reporters that seven extra civilians and 5 troopers have died from two days of preventing. It earlier reported one fatality — a person who was killed when the pagoda he was hiding in obtained hit by Thai rockets.
The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday (July 25, 2025) two Thai rockets had hit a faculty compound in Oddar Meanchey however induced no accidents. It stated all colleges within the province have been closed. The Thai Army denied it focused civilian websites in Cambodia and accused Cambodia of utilizing “human shields” by positioning their weapons close to residential areas.
Thousands flee villages close to the border
As the preventing intensified, villagers on each side have been caught within the crossfire, main many to flee. Around 600 individuals took shelter at a gymnasium in a college in Surin, Thailand, about 80 km (50 miles) from the border. Evacuees sat in teams, on mats and blankets, and queued for meals and drinks.
Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai was accompanied by 4 cats in two cloth carriers. She stated she was doing laundry at her dwelling close to Ta Muen Thom temple when shelling started Thursday (July 24, 2025). “I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared,” she recalled.
Rattana Meeying, one other evacuee, stated she had additionally lived by way of the 2011 clashes between the 2 nations however described this flare-up as worse.
“Children, old people, were hit out of the blue. I never imagined it would be this violent,” she stated. At the close by Phanom Dong Rak hospital, periodic explosions might be heard on Friday (July 25, 2025) and a army truck arrived with three injured Thai troopers, together with one who had each legs severed. Thursday’s shelling shattered home windows at one of the hospital’s buildings and broken its roof.
In the neighbouring Sisaket province, extra villagers took their belongings and left houses in a stream of vehicles, vans and motorbikes after they obtained an evacuation order on Friday (July 25, 2025.)
Across the border in Cambodia, villages on the outskirts of Oddar Meanchey province have been largely abandoned. Homes stood locked, whereas chickens and canines roamed exterior.
Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, overlaying them with wooden, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to defend themselves from shelling. Families with youngsters have been seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, although a couple of males refused to depart.
A distant Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated a number of hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling infants, whereas youngsters ran about. Makeshift plastic tents have been being arrange underneath the timber.
Veng Chin (74) pleaded with each governments to barter a settlement “so that I can return to my home and work on the farm.”
ASEAN chair requires calm
The conflict marks a uncommon occasion of armed confrontation between ASEAN member nations although Thailand has tangled with Cambodia earlier than over the border and has had sporadic skirmishes with western neighbour Myanmar.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated on Friday (July 25, 2025) that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border, however requested extra time earlier than implementing the motion, in keeping with a report by Malaysia’s Bernama nationwide information company.
Mr. Anwar stated he had spoken to each Cambodian chief Hun Manet and Thailand’s Phumtham and urged them to open house for “peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution,” whereas providing to have Malaysia facilitate talks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has additionally referred to as for restraint and urged each nations to resolve disputes by way of dialogue, in keeping with UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Latest flareup in longstanding border tensions
The 800 km (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for many years, however previous confrontations have been restricted and transient. The final main flare-up in 2011 left 20 lifeless. The present tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s home politics.
Things obtained worse when a land mine wounded 5 Thai troopers on Wednesday (July 23, 2025), main Bangkok to shut the border and expel the Cambodian Ambassador. The subsequent day, clashes broke out alongside the border.
