Thailand and Cambodia war
The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its third daywith new points of contention arising
The conflict along the Thai-Cambodian border has continued for a third consecutive day, with new points of contention arising on Saturday. Both parties have claimed to be acting in self-defense regarding the border dispute and have urged one another to halt hostilities and initiate negotiations. More than 30 individuals have lost their lives, and over 130,000 people have been forced to flee their homes due to the most severe clashes between the two Southeast Asian nations in 13 years.
Early on Saturday, both parties reported clashes occurring in the neighboring Thai coastal province of Trat and Cambodia’s Pursat Province, marking a new front situated over 100 km (60 miles) away from other conflict areas along the historically disputed border.
The two nations have been in conflict since the death of a Cambodian soldier in late May during a short skirmish. Troops on both sides of the border were bolstered amid a severe diplomatic crisis that nearly caused Thailand’s fragile coalition government to collapse.
University campus has been transformed into temporary housing,
As of Saturday, Thailand reported that seven soldiers and 13 civilians had lost their lives in the confrontations, while Cambodia reported five soldiers and eight civilians had been killed, according to Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata.
In the Thai border province of Sisaket, a university campus has been transformed into temporary housing, where a volunteer indicated that over 5,000 individuals were residing.
Samrong Khamduang mentioned that she left her farm, located about 10 km from the border, when the fighting erupted on Thursday. Her 51-year-old husband chose to remain behind to care for their livestock.
“We were terrified by the sound of artillery,” she shared. “But my husband decided to stay, and now we have lost contact. I couldn’t reach him. I have no idea what is going on back there.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim advocating for a ceasefire proposal
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the ASEAN regional bloc, stated that he would persist in advocating for a ceasefire proposal. Cambodia has expressed support for Anwar’s initiative, while Thailand has indicated its agreement in principle.
“There is still some exchange of fire,” Anwar noted, as reported by the state news agency Bernama. He mentioned that he had instructed his foreign minister “to communicate with the relevant foreign ministries and, if feasible, I will continue to engage with them myself – at least to stop the fighting.”
SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING
On Friday, Thailand’s ambassador to the United Nations informed a Security Council meeting that soldiers had sustained injuries from newly placed land mines within Thai territory on two separate occasions since mid-July. Cambodia has strongly refuted these claims and stated that it had initiated attacks on Thursday morning.
“Thailand calls on Cambodia to immediately halt all hostilities and acts of aggression, and to engage in dialogue in good faith,” Cherdchai Chaivaivid expressed to the council in comments shared with the media.
In response, Cambodia’s defence ministry accused Thailand of conducting “a deliberate, unprovoked, and unlawful military attack” while mobilizing troops and military resources along the border.
“These intentional military preparations indicate Thailand’s aim to escalate its aggression and further infringe upon Cambodia’s sovereignty,” the ministry stated in a release on Saturday.
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