Border clashes flare again between Thailand and Cambodia, dozens injured

September 18, 2025 Chief Editor 0 Comments 2 min read

Bangkok/Phnom Penh — Border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia reignited this week after Thai security forces clashed with Cambodian villagers and monks protesting near a disputed stretch of frontier land, leaving dozens injured and raising fears of renewed instability along the sensitive boundary.

The confrontation took place on Tuesday 16th September near Prey Chan village in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province, opposite Ban Nong Ya Kaeo in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, according to the Associated Press. Cambodian officials said 28 people, including several Buddhist monks, were hurt when Thai forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the group. Thailand’s military reported five of its soldiers were injured by rocks and sticks thrown during the unrest.

The violence comes less than three months after both sides agreed to a fragile ceasefire in July following skirmishes sparked by overlapping territorial claims. The disputed land traces back to colonial-era French maps and the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, while leaving surrounding areas contested.

Cambodian state media outlet Agence Kampuchea Presse quoted provincial governor Oum Reatrey as condemning what he described as “excessive force” by Thai troops. He urged Bangkok to “exercise restraint and return to dialogue.” Meanwhile, Thailand’s army said its personnel were “acting in self-defense” against “illegal intrusions” into Thai territory.

The Bangkok Post reported that both governments have since moved to contain the fallout, with foreign ministries engaging in urgent talks to reaffirm the July truce. Still, analysts warn that even small incidents can escalate rapidly, given heightened nationalist sentiment and the presence of civilians in contested zones.

“The Thai-Cambodian border has long been a flashpoint because legal ambiguities leave room for different interpretations of sovereignty,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, told the Bangkok Post. “Unless both sides set up clearer mechanisms for dispute management, these flare-ups will keep recurring.”

Cross-border trade and daily life in local communities have also been affected. Cambodia’s Fresh News outlet reported that markets and schools near the frontier were temporarily closed after Tuesday’s violence, with villagers fearing further clashes.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which both countries belong, has not yet issued a formal statement. Regional diplomats say the bloc could step in if tensions worsen, though ASEAN traditionally avoids direct involvement in bilateral disputes.

For now, officials on both sides say they are committed to talks. But with memories of past military exchanges in 2008–2011 still fresh, local residents remain wary.

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