The border clash between Thailand and Cambodia has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, with over one lakh people forced to flee their homes in just two days of conflict, CNN reported.
Villagers, including children and the elderly, have been seen escaping in the middle of the night, carrying their belongings in plastic bags, as military shelling continues on both sides.
As of Thursday night, more than 100,000 Thai civilians had been moved to temporary shelters in provinces bordering Cambodia, including Surin, Buri Ram, and Si Saket, the Thai Ministry of Interior said. Videos from these areas show people resting on mats inside universities and schools, eating from plastic containers, and waiting for updates as the violence continues, as per CNN.
In Cambodia, over 4,000 people have been displaced from border villages in Oddar Meanchey province, according to local officials. Footage from the area shows residents abandoning their homes and taking shelter under tarpaulin sheets.
A Cambodian official said, “The exchange of fighting is still happening… tensions are still high,” CNN quoted him as saying.
The fresh wave of violence began at around 4:30 am on Friday when Cambodia reportedly opened fire using small arms and heavy weapons. The Thai army retaliated with artillery and later scrambled F-16 jets to target what it claimed were Cambodian military positions.
The clashes occurred in two locations in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province and one in Surin. Thai authorities warned locals to stay away from the area as they carried out bomb disposal and rescue operations in the Kantharalak district, where Cambodian rockets had landed the previous evening.
So far, 14 people have been killed in Thailand, most of them civilians, while Cambodia has reported one death and five injuries, according to CNN.
Tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours have been simmering for months over disputed land along their 800-kilometre border, which was demarcated by French colonial rulers during their control over Cambodia. The area includes several historic temples and archaeological sites claimed by both countries.
The latest violence follows a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers. In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed during another clash near the tri-border area where Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos meet, CNN reported.
Although both countries have strong cultural and economic ties, their militaries are not evenly matched. Thailand has a significantly larger and more powerful army, with over 360,000 active personnel, three times the number of Cambodia.
Thailand is also a major non-NATO ally of the United States, benefiting from American military aid and weapons support for decades.
Countries including Japan, the United States, and China have urged both Thailand and Cambodia to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.
As the situation remains volatile, both sides have yet to announce any concrete steps for de-escalation, leaving thousands of families caught in the middle of an unresolved and deadly border conflict.
