Despite public statements suggesting a ceasefire, armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia continued on Saturday, raising serious doubts about diplomatic efforts to halt the escalating border conflict. Ongoing fighting has resulted in new casualties, mass evacuations, and heightened regional instability.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that both sides had agreed to a ceasefire following talks with the respective leaders. However, neither Thailand nor Cambodia has publicly confirmed an immediate halt to hostilities, and military operations appear to be ongoing along the contested border.
Thailand Sets Conditions for Ceasefire
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that a ceasefire would only be possible after Cambodian forces withdraw from the border area and remove landmines. He emphasized that Thailand will continue military operations as long as it perceives threats to its territory and citizens.
According to officials from both countries, artillery exchanges and bombardments have continued along the border. Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense reported that Thai fighter jets struck multiple targets, while Thai authorities said Cambodian rocket attacks injured civilians on their side of the border.
Rising Death Toll and Mass Evacuations
Latest figures indicate that at least 21 people have been killed in the most recent fighting, while approximately 700,000 civilians have been evacuated from border regions on both sides. Humanitarian concerns are growing as displaced populations seek shelter amid continued uncertainty.
Thai officials insist that Thailand is not the aggressor in the conflict. Meanwhile, Cambodian leadership maintains that military actions will continue to defend national sovereignty, underscoring the entrenched positions of both governments.
A Long-Standing Border Dispute
The conflict escalated sharply on July 24, following rocket attacks by Cambodian forces into Thailand and subsequent Thai airstrikes. Each side continues to blame the other for initiating hostilities.
Thailand and Cambodia have been locked in a border dispute lasting more than a century, along a land border of approximately 800 kilometers. The boundary was originally defined in 1907 during French colonial rule in Cambodia, leaving behind unresolved territorial ambiguities that continue to fuel tensions today.
As fighting persists despite ceasefire claims, regional and international observers warn that the failure to enforce a truce risks further civilian suffering and broader destabilization in Southeast Asia.
