Heavy combat between Thailand and Cambodia has entered a second week, with Cambodia claiming Thai airstrikes are penetrating deeper into its territory and approaching shelters housing displaced populations.
Monday airstrikes
According to Cambodia’s defense and information ministries, Thai F-16 fighter jets dropped two bombs shortly after 10 a.m. local time Monday near camps for displaced people in Chong Kal district in Oddar Meanchey province and Srei Snam district in Siem Reap province.
The Srei Snam bombing occurred more than 70 kilometers (43 miles) inside Cambodian territory and targeted a bridge, Cambodian authorities stated.
Siem Reap is home to the Angkor Wat temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Cambodia’s primary tourist destination.
Thai officials have not commented on the reported strikes. Access to combat zones remains restricted, making independent verification of claims from either side difficult.
Territorial dispute
The conflict centers on longstanding territorial claims over frontier areas, some containing centuries-old temple ruins.
More than two dozen deaths have been officially reported on both sides over the past week, with over half a million people displaced, according to officials.
Military losses and assessments
At a Monday news conference, Thai officials detailed estimated damage to Cambodian forces since a December 7 skirmish that wounded two Thai soldiers and sparked large-scale fighting the following day.
Reported Cambodian losses include 12 tanks, 10 armored vehicles, four anti-aircraft artillery systems, seven artillery pieces or mortars, five anti-drone systems, 175 drones, five communication hubs, and one BM-21 mobile rocket launcher.
Thailand reports Cambodia has fired thousands of rockets from truck-mounted BM-21 launchers, which have a 30-40 kilometer (19-25 mile) range and can launch up to 40 projectiles simultaneously.
On Sunday, Thailand announced a rocket attack from Cambodia killed a 63-year-old villager, marking Thailand’s first reported civilian death from the combat.
Col. Ritcha Suksuwanon, a Thai army deputy spokesperson, confirmed the seizure of an intact Chinese GAM-102LR guided anti-tank missile system. Thailand estimates 82 Cambodian military positions destroyed and 505 Cambodian military personnel killed.
Cambodia has rejected previous Thai casualty estimates as disinformation and has not released its own military death toll. Thailand acknowledges 16 troop deaths. Phnom Penh reported Monday that 15 civilians have been killed and 73 wounded.
Naval and supply restrictions
Thai officials announced efforts to cut fuel and weapons supplies to Cambodia while denying plans for a full naval blockade. Capt. Nara Khunkothom, assistant spokesperson for the Thai Navy, stated only Thai-registered vessels would face controls in the officially designated high-risk area in the Gulf of Thailand.
Fuel and weapons will no longer transit through a major land checkpoint to Laos near Cambodian territory, as officials work to cut military supplies and logistical support.
Temple damage
Thai officials acknowledged attacks damaged the centuries-old Ta Kwai temple, known to Cambodians as Ta Krabey, in a disputed area. They blamed Cambodia for allegedly using the site as a military stronghold.
Phnombootra Chandrajoti, director-general of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, emphasized that historical sites should not serve as military operation bases and that securing and preserving the area remains Thailand’s priority.
Ceasefire breakdown
The current fighting undermined a ceasefire promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump that ended five days of combat in July. Malaysia brokered the agreement under pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless both countries agreed. The ceasefire was formalized in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia attended by Trump.
Trump announced Friday that both countries had agreed to renew the ceasefire at his urging, but Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied making any commitment. Cambodia announced it would continue fighting in what it describes as self-defense.
