New Delhi: Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia over the historically contested Emerald region, that houses 1,000-year-old Hindu temples, have brought bilateral ties to a historical low.
At the core of the escalating crisis are fresh military hostilities and a diplomatic downgrade, along with deep-rooted historical tensions tied to sacred sites, a UNESCO-listed monument, and rising nationalist sentiment on both sides.
Fresh violence erupted near the 11th-century Ta Muen Thom and Ta Moan Thom temples that both countries have long claimed as their own. Despite a 1962 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that awarded the nearby Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, part of the complex, Thai troops have remained stationed around the area.
The latest friction was sparked when Thailand Thursday reported spotting a Cambodian drone and armed soldiers near Ta Muen. After warnings, Cambodia reportedly opened fire, prompting Thai airstrikes.
The Thai military accused Cambodian forces of launching artillery and BM-21 rocket attacks into Surin province, striking civilian infrastructure, including a gas station, a hospital and causing fatalities.
In response, Thailand deployed six F-16 fighter jets to patrol the border, with one jet reportedly carrying out bombing raids on Cambodian positions. Cambodia claimed the strikes hit civilian areas and roads, killing two people and causing significant damage.
Both sides blamed the other for initiating the hostilities. Phnom Penh described its response as “legitimate self-defence,” while Thailand accused Cambodian forces of launching a “deliberate attack on civilians.”
Thai authorities relocated over 40,000 residents from 86 villages near the Surin-Oddar Meanchey border.
The conflict now risks destabilising the broader Southeast Asian region, especially given that both countries are members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which advocates peaceful resolution of conflicts.
On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country currently holds the chairmanship of ASEAN, voiced concern over the rapidly intensifying border conflict and said he plans to speak with both countries’ leaders by the end of the day. “The very least we can hope for is that both sides stand down and make efforts to begin negotiations,” Anwar told Reuters.
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Festering problem
The latest flare-up marks another chapter in a border dispute that has simmered for more than a century. Thailand and Cambodia have long clashed over several un-demarcated sections along their 817-kilometre land boundary. The dispute has sparked repeated skirmishes and claimed at least a dozen lives over the years, including during a weeklong artillery exchange in 2011.
At the heart of this conflict lies a cluster of ancient temples dating back to the 9th to 11th centuries. Originally built as Hindu shrines, these temples were later embraced by Buddhism as the region’s dominant faith evolved.
The spot of the current conflict, the Emerald Triangle, where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos converge, is a region dense with jungle and ancient temples, and has long been contested by Thailand and Cambodia. The origins of the dispute stretch back over a century to a 1907 colonial-era map drawn during French rule over Cambodia, which placed the Preah Vihear Temple within Cambodian territory.
The Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple in the Emerald region, is believed to have been built during the reign of Khmer ruler King Udayadityavarman II and dedicated to Lord Shiva. It forms part of a larger temple complex that includes at least two other ancient shrines, strategically located along the historic Khmer highway that once connected Angkor in present-day Cambodia with Phimai in Thailand. The most renowned structure along this route is Angkor Wat.
Thailand claims the temples lie within its Surin province. Cambodia argues they are part of its historical Khmer Empire heritage, which once came under modern day Cambodia and parts of Thailand.
The surrounding territory remains a flashpoint, and clashes have flared repeatedly since 2008, when Cambodia sought UNESCO World Heritage status for Preah Vihear, triggering nationalist outrage in Thailand.
In February, Cambodian troops entered the disputed area and confronted Thai forces by singing their national anthem. The standoff escalated, and a truce was reached by April. Tensions reignited in May near the Emerald Triangle again, when Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire, killing one Cambodian soldier. Both sides accused the other of firing first.
While leaders initially called for calm, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Thailand responded by tightening border controls, stopping almost all civilian crossings. Cambodia retaliated with sweeping bans on Thai imports, including movies, vegetables, and fuel. The standoff deepened further in July after a landmine blast injured five Thai soldiers. Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of planting new mines in violation of past agreements. Cambodia denied these claims, saying the devices were remnants from older conflicts.
The blast marked a tipping point. Within 48 hours, Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador, closed all border checkpoints, and launched airstrikes on Cambodian territory. Cambodia responded by recalling its diplomats, downgrading diplomatic ties, and accusing Thailand of illegal aggression.
In response to the escalating situation, the Thai military activated its “Chakrapong Phuwanart” emergency plan: a contingency strategy last implemented in 2011 during the conflict over the Preah Vihear temple.
Caught in the crossfire
The domestic fallout in Thailand has been dramatic. On 15 June, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made a phone call to Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen in an attempt to quietly calm tensions. The call, however, was recorded by Hun Sen and later leaked.
In the call, Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen as “uncle”, a reflection of their families’ long-standing ties, and urged him to ignore critical remarks made by a Thai army commander. She also offered to “manage” things in his favour.
The call triggered uproar in Thailand. Critics accused the Prime Minister of undermining national security and favouring a foreign power over her own military. Amid rising domestic backlash, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended her from office pending an ethics probe.
The military and opposition parties questioned whether she was taking a firm enough stance on Cambodia. Her political ties were also under the spotlight as her father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, shares a close relationship with Hun Sen and once granted Thaksin asylum and appointed him an adviser after his 2006 ouster.
Diplomatic ties have also collapsed rapidly. Ambassadors have been expelled, embassies evacuated, and all formal communication channels cut. Thailand insists that any border issues should be resolved through a bilateral joint border committee established in 2000, while Cambodia has taken the matter back to the ICJ, refusing further bilateral talks.
The Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), formed in 2000 to address such disputes, has seen limited progress. A recent meeting on 14 June in Phnom Penh ended without any breakthrough. Meanwhile, Cambodia has announced plans to introduce mandatory military conscription starting next year, a signal it is preparing for a prolonged standoff.
Even efforts by China, which maintains good relations with both nations but shares closer ties with Cambodia, to mediate have yet to bear fruit. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China would maintain a “fair and impartial” stance regarding the clashes.
(Edited by Tony Rai)