Civilians killed, borders shut, F16s deployed: Thailand and Cambodia are at war due to…, its related to a 1000-year-old Hindu temple in…

Thailand-Cambodia war: More than 10 civilians have been killed in deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia as a long-standing territorial dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbours reignited after tensions flared in May this year. The two countries, who have shared a sort of love-hate relationship over the decades, had scripted a new chapter in their ties when a permanent border checkpoint was opened at the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge last year.

However, the border region has now turned into ground zero for the lethal clash between Thailand and Cambodia in which more than 10 civilians and several soldiers have been killed so far.

Why Thailand and Cambodia are at war?

The border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia stem from more than a century old dispute over territory and an ancient Hindu temple dating back at least 1,000 years. However, recent tensions between the two countries flared up when a Cambodian soldier was allegedly killed during a scuffle with Thai troops in the disputed Emerald Triangle region.

Following the soldier’s death, a series of sharp exchanges took place between the two sides as both accused each other of being the aggressor. Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former Prime Minister who relinquished the top post to his son in 2023 but still wields huge influence, also raised the war bogey.

Both Thailand and Cambodia lay claim over the Emerald Triangle region.

What triggered the current Thailand-Cambodia war?

After the Cambodian soldier’s killing, both sides bolstered troops near the border in June, and despite a brief period of de-escalation, took tit-for-tat diplomatic measures against each other, like banning exports and Thailand threatening to cut off electricity to Cambodia.

A month later, the situation became worse when five Thai soldiers were critically wounded in a landmine explosion. Thailand blamed Cambodia for the blast, who refuted the allegations, stating that the the mines were remnants of past wars in the region.

The incident downgraded bilateral ties between the two nations to their lowest point in over a decade, with Thailand expelling the Cambodian ambassador and closing all border crossings. Cambodia responded by evacuating its embassy in Bangkok and downgrading diplomatic ties.

How the current crisis is unfolding?

On Thursday, the Thailand-Cambodia war took a dramatic turn as both sides exchanged heavy fire near the border provinces of Surin and Oddar Meanchey. Six Thai civilians were killed in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province after shots were fired at a gas station. A viral video on social media showed people in Thailand rushing out of their homes and taking shelter in a concrete bunker amid the sound of explosions in the background.

In a statement, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry alleged that Cambodia fired rockets at both military and non-military sites, including the Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin province. In response, Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to bomb border areas in Cambodia in which two Cambodian civilians were reportedly killed.

China has offered to diffuse tensions between the two countries as tensions continue to escalate, while Thailand has asked its nationals in Cambodia to leave the country.

What is the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute?

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia stems from the 800 km land border between the two countries drawn by French colonizers they occupied Cambodia from 1863 to 1953. An agreement was reached in 1907 over the border, however, Thailand later contested map and objected to an 11th-century Hindu temple (Preah Vihear) being placed within Cambodian territory.

In 1959, Cambodia approached the International Court of Justice, which ruled in its favour, saying the temple belonged in Cambodian territory, and while Thailand recognised the order at the time, it argued that the surrounding frontiers were still disputed.

Bilateral ties between the two neighbors soured in 2008 when Cambodia tried to register the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, triggering a protest from Thailand and sporadic clashes between the soldiers of the two nations over the years.

The last major confrontation between two countries happened in 2011, when at least 15 people were killed and tens of thousands displaced during a week of fighting.

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