Thailand Cambodia Border Dispute: Deadly Clashes, Trump Ceasefire, and Evacuations

December 2025 has seen the Thailand–Cambodia border erupt into the worst fighting in 14 years. What started as a July skirmish has escalated into a full-scale military confrontation involving fighter jets, long-range rockets, tanks, drones, and heavy artillery pounding positions across five provinces. More than 500,000 people have fled their homes, entire villages lie deserted, and both sides accuse each other of war crimes. Even as U.S. President Donald Trump announces a fresh ceasefire, explosions and gunfire continue into December 13, 2025.

Historical Roots: Why Preah Vihear Temple Still Sparks War

The heart of the dispute is the 11th-century Khmer Hindu temple of Preah Vihear, perched on a 525-meter cliff in the Dangrek Mountains. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled the temple itself belongs to Cambodia, but left the surrounding land ambiguous. Thailand has never fully accepted the verdict, and nationalist groups on both sides regularly inflame tensions.

Other contested sites include Ta Moan Thom, Ta Krabey, and Emerald Triangle areas. Major armed clashes previously killed soldiers and civilians in 2008, 2009, and 2011, but the 2025 war is far deadlier and geographically wider than anything seen before.

Detailed 2025 Conflict Timeline

Current Battlefield Situation (as of December 13, 2025)

• Casualties: At least 20 confirmed dead, 200+ wounded (both military and civilian)
• Thai airstrikes using F-16s and Gripen jets targeting Cambodian artillery and rocket units
• Cambodia firing Chinese-made PHL-03 multiple-launch rocket systems and WS-22 guided rockets deep into Thailand
• Thai ground forces briefly seized several Cambodian villages, including Prey Chan
• Hospitals, schools, pagodas, markets, and gas stations hit on both sides
• Drones used for reconnaissance and targeted strikes by both armies

Human Tragedy: Half a Million People Displaced

• Thailand: Over 400,000 evacuees sheltered in Surin, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, and Buriram provinces
• Cambodia: More than 100,000 displaced in Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, and Siem Reap provinces
• Families sleeping on racetrack grounds, temple courtyards, and school gymnasiums
• Food and water shortages reported in some evacuation centers
• Cambodia officially withdraws from the 2026 Southeast Asian Games to be hosted by Thailand

Trump’s High-Stakes Diplomacy

President Donald Trump has taken personal charge of mediation:

• July 2025: Threatened trade sanctions, forcing the first truce
• October 2025: Attended Kuala Lumpur summit in person
• December 12, 2025: Direct phone calls with Thai Prime Minister and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, declaring “I got them to agree — peace is back, and it will stay back”

Despite his announcement, Cambodian officials reported fresh Thai airstrikes only hours later, and Thai military sources confirmed continued defensive fire.

What Happens Next?

Both countries have deployed tens of thousands of additional troops and hundreds of armored vehicles. Nationalist rallies in Bangkok and Phnom Penh make compromise politically risky. ASEAN has called an emergency meeting, China has offered to host talks, and the United States continues back-channel pressure.

For now, the Thailand–Cambodia border remains one of the most volatile places on earth. The world waits to see whether President Trump’s latest ceasefire finally takes hold — or whether this ancient temple dispute drags Southeast Asia into a prolonged war.

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