In 2025, a long-simmering territorial dispute along the 817 km Thailand–Cambodia border reignited after a May 28 clash near Preah Vihear killed a Cambodian soldier. The incident sparked a five-day July war—at least 48 dead, about 300,000 displaced—that ended when Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim brokered a ceasefire.
The Trump–Anwar initiative produced a July truce and expanded ceasefire agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur in October, with both sides withdrawing heavy weapons and de-mining contested areas. A November landmine blast maimed a Thai soldier, prompting Bangkok to suspend the deal, and on December 8 Thailand launched airstrikes after fresh clashes, evacuating more than 385,000 people from border districts. Cambodia denies planting new mines or firing first, while former leader Hun Sen calls Thailand the aggressor yet urges restraint.
At least 48 people, mostly civilians, were killed during five days of clashes in July 2025, the deadliest Thailand–Cambodia fighting in more than a decade.
≈300,000
Civilians displaced in July 2025
Roughly 300,000 people were temporarily displaced on both sides of the border during the July conflict before a U.S.- and Malaysia‑brokered ceasefire took hold.
385,000+
Thai civilians evacuated in December 2025 flare‑up
Following the December 8 airstrikes, Thai authorities reported evacuating more than 385,000 people from four border districts, with tens of thousands housed in temporary shelters.
7+
Thai soldiers severely injured by landmines since July
At least seven Thai soldiers have been severely wounded in landmine incidents since mid‑July, which Bangkok alleges involve newly laid Soviet‑origin PMN‑2 mines, a charge Cambodia denies.
817 km
Length of disputed land border
Thailand and Cambodia have contested sovereignty at undemarcated points along their 817‑kilometre land border since it was first mapped using French colonial surveys in 1907.
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16 events
Latest: December 8th, 2025 · 6 months ago
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December 2025
Thailand launches airstrikes along disputed border
LatestMilitary Action
Thailand conducts airstrikes into Cambodian territory after reporting that a Thai soldier was killed and others wounded in clashes, and accusing Cambodia of mobilising heavy weapons and firing rockets toward Thai areas. The air force says it targeted Cambodian military facilities. Cambodia claims Thailand launched dawn attacks on its positions and insists its forces have not retaliated.
Mass evacuations on both sides of the border
Humanitarian Impact
Thai authorities evacuate more than 385,000 civilians from four border districts, housing over 35,000 in temporary shelters, while officials in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province report evacuating more than 1,100 families as artillery fire resumes. Rights groups and local witnesses describe damage near civilian areas and widespread fear.
November 2025
Deadly exchange of fire resumes
Military Incident
At least one person is killed in Cambodia as both neighbours accuse each other of opening fire along the border, indicating that the ceasefire is rapidly unravelling just weeks after the enhanced deal.
Thailand suspends implementation of ceasefire pact
Diplomatic Move
Thailand announces it is halting implementation of the ceasefire agreement with Cambodia after the November 10 mine blast, describing it as the biggest test of the Trump‑brokered truce. Bangkok files a formal protest and says it will explain its decision to Washington and Kuala Lumpur.
New landmine blast maims Thai soldiers, testing the truce
Military Incident
A PMN‑2 mine explosion injures four Thai soldiers, one losing a foot, near the disputed border. Thailand accuses Cambodia of laying new mines in violation of the ceasefire, while Phnom Penh denies this and blames legacy contamination.
Heavy‑weapons withdrawal and de‑mining begin
Implementation
Both governments announce they have started pulling back rocket systems and other heavy weapons from the border and begun de‑mining work in multiple sites, in line with the October agreement. Thailand says it will not release prisoners or fully reopen border checkpoints until it is satisfied with Cambodia’s compliance.
October 2025
Enhanced ceasefire and peace agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur
Ceasefire
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia sign an expanded ceasefire agreement at an ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal covers phased withdrawal of heavy weapons, de‑mining, and the return of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war, and earns Trump a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from Cambodian figures.
Experts say landmines likely newly laid
Public Revelation
A Reuters investigation, drawing on visual evidence and assessments from four independent landmine experts, concludes that PMN‑2 mines linked to July border blasts appear to have been in the ground for only a few months. Cambodia’s mine authority disputes this, highlighting the difficulty of judging age from photographs alone.
August 2025
Thai military showcases mine clearance to media
Investigation
Thailand’s Mine Action Centre demonstrates the detonation of PMN‑2 mines during a media visit, sharing imagery later assessed by independent experts as showing relatively new mines. Analysts say the devices appear freshly laid but cannot attribute responsibility.
July 2025
Initial ceasefire signed in Putrajaya
Ceasefire
Under Malaysian and U.S. auspices, Thai and Cambodian leaders sign a ceasefire agreement in Putrajaya, pledging to end active hostilities, resume direct communications, and establish mechanisms to implement the truce.
Trump threatens tariffs to force ceasefire talks
Foreign Mediation
U.S. President Donald Trump announces he has called the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, warning he will suspend trade deals and impose tariffs of up to the mid‑30 percent range if fighting continues. Both sides signal readiness to discuss a ceasefire under U.S. and Malaysian mediation.
Five-day war erupts along the border
Military Action
Armed clashes break out along multiple stretches of the frontier. Thailand and Cambodia trade artillery, rockets, and small‑arms fire; Thailand deploys F‑16s to bomb a Cambodian military position. Over the following days, at least 48 people are killed and some 300,000 displaced, with rights groups warning of attacks near civilian infrastructure.
Further landmine incidents and diplomatic downgrades
Diplomacy
Another mine incident occurs along the border, and Thailand recalls its ambassador from Phnom Penh and announces the expulsion of Cambodia’s ambassador. The moves mark a sharp diplomatic escalation ahead of open fighting.
A landmine explosion near the border seriously injures Thai soldiers; Bangkok later identifies the device as a Soviet‑origin PMN‑2 and claims the mine was freshly laid. Cambodia argues that contamination from past wars is to blame, and CMAA calls for impartial investigation.
June 2025
Sides agree to return to prior positions but tighten border controls
De-escalation
Following diplomatic contacts, Thailand and Cambodia agree to return troops to previous positions after the May clash. At the same time, Thailand places control of border crossings under army authority and shortens opening hours at several points, citing threats to sovereignty.
May 2025
First fatal firefight at disputed border position
Military Incident
Cambodia reports that one of its soldiers is killed in a brief exchange of fire with Thai troops in a disputed region between Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani. Both sides accuse the other of shooting first; Thai officials say they suffered no casualties. Cambodian and Thai leaders speak by phone to urge calm, but tensions remain high.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
2008–2011
2008–2011 Preah Vihear Temple Border Clashes
After the Preah Vihear temple on the Thai–Cambodian border was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, long‑standing disagreements over 4.6 square kilometres of surrounding land escalated into repeated military clashes. Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged rocket, artillery, and small‑arms fire near the temple, causing casualties on both sides and damage to the ancient structure. Fighting flared repeatedly in 2010–2011, prompting Cambodia to seek UN Security Council involvement and to call for an international buffer zone, while Thailand resisted external mediation.
Then
Dozens were killed over several years, thousands displaced, and nationalist sentiments surged in both countries, but large‑scale war was avoided.
Now
In 2013 the International Court of Justice clarified that Cambodia had sovereignty over the temple and much of the surrounding area, reducing but not eliminating tensions; demarcation of the wider border remained incomplete.
Why this matters now
The Preah Vihear clashes show how historical grievances and domestic politics can turn small areas of disputed territory into recurring flashpoints. The current 2025 fighting is unfolding in similar locations and with some of the same actors, including Hun Sen, reinforcing fears that, without clear demarcation and credible monitoring, ceasefires will remain fragile.
2 of 3
1970s–1990s and aftermath
Cambodia’s Civil Wars and the Landmine Legacy
Decades of conflict in Cambodia, including the Khmer Rouge era and subsequent civil wars, left the country among the most heavily mined in the world. A mine‑contaminated belt more than 1,000 km long stretches along much of the Thai–Cambodian border. Large‑scale demining began after a 1991 peace accord, but PMN‑2 and other mines remain a persistent hazard despite the clearance of thousands of square kilometres and the destruction of stockpiles under the Ottawa Convention.
Then
Landmines continued to kill and injure civilians and soldiers for decades, constraining agriculture and development along the frontier.
Now
International funding and national programs significantly reduced contamination, but sporadic incidents still occur, and the 2025 dispute over whether new mines are being laid shows how this legacy can fuel new conflicts.
Why this matters now
The 2025 crisis hinges in part on whether recent blasts are caused by newly planted mines or old ordnance. Cambodia’s mine legacy complicates attribution, allows both sides to construct competing narratives, and makes neutral verification central to any sustainable settlement.
3 of 3
February–March 2019
2019 Balakot Airstrike and India–Pakistan Aerial Escalation
Following a suicide bombing in Pulwama that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, India launched an airstrike on February 26, 2019, against what it described as a Jaish‑e‑Mohammed training camp near Balakot inside Pakistan. Pakistan denied major damage, vowed to respond, and the next day shot down an Indian jet and captured its pilot in a retaliatory operation. The crisis marked the first time since 1971 that warplanes from either side crossed the Line of Control and raised global fears about escalation between nuclear‑armed neighbours.
Then
Intense international pressure, including from the United States, led to the return of the captured Indian pilot and a rapid de‑escalation, though cross‑border fire persisted.
Now
The episode demonstrated that limited cross‑border airstrikes can occur without full‑scale war but also highlighted how quickly miscalculation risks can rise when air power is used across disputed frontiers.
Why this matters now
Thailand’s December 2025 airstrikes into Cambodia are rare for Southeast Asia and invite comparison to Balakot: a limited cross‑border use of airpower in a territorial dispute. The India–Pakistan case suggests that strong external mediation can cap escalation, but also that such actions set precedents that may normalize interstate airstrikes in volatile regions.
