A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed the targets in Cambodia amid a border dispute and diplomatic meltdown that rapidly ignited into fierce clashes, bombing, and shelling, killing 11 civilians and a soldier in Thailand. According to an ALJAZEERA report, both Thailand and Cambodia blamed each other for the new outbreak of fighting that erupted early Thursday in an area near the disputed Ta Moan Thom Temple, located in a border area in northwestern Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.
The fighting then spread to at least six areas along the border, the ALJAZEERA report added, quoting the military official Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, who said, leading Thailand’s military to close the border between the countries.
The Point Of Trigger
The recent flare-up between the countries began in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border clash. Both sides, since then, have traded blame and reinforced troops. A brief truce took place on June 8. However, it collapsed quickly.
Thailand accused Cambodia of laying landmines and injuring five soldiers. Cambodia, in response, downgraded ties, expelled Thai envoys, banned Thai media, and cut internet links. Thailand then threatened power cuts to Cambodian towns and restricted Thai workers from crossing into Poipet.
Cambodian PM Manet said on June 17 that the country has turned to the International Court of Justice. Meanwhile, Thailand rejected the third-party mediation and insisted on the bilateral talks.
A Historical Gaze At Border Dispute
Both Thailand and Cambodia share a land border that spans over 800 km. French colonisers drew the border when they occupied Cambodia from 1863 to 1953. In 1907, an agreement was reached. However, Thailand later contested the map and objected to an 11th-century Hindu temple placed in the Cambodian territory.
Cambodia then took the matter to the ICJ in 1959, which ruled in its favour and said that the temple fell in the Cambodian territory. Thailand recognised the order at the time. However, it argued that the surrounding frontiers remained disputed.
In 2008, the ties between the two nations soured when Cambodia tried to register the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A heated protest was prompted from Thailand, and over the years there have been sporadic clashes between the soldiers of the two nations.
The last confrontation took place in 2011. According to media reports, 15 people died during the fighting between the nations, and over tens of thousands of civilians were displaced during the war.
The Recent Tussle
After weeks of tensions rising, violence erupted along the border. Thailand launched six F-16 jets from Ubon Ratchathani, reportedly striking two Cambodian military sites. Cambodia, in response, fired rockets and artillery into the Surin province. Each side blamed the other for the clash.
