Clashes Kill 15, Over 130,000 Flee Thai-Cambodia Border

At least 15 people have been killed—14 in Thailand and one in Cambodia—as heavy fighting erupted along the Thai-Cambodian border, forcing more than 130,000 residents to flee the area.

The clashes, now in their second day, mark the deadliest confrontation between the two Southeast Asian nations in over a decade. Both sides exchanged artillery and rocket fire in what officials fear could escalate into full-scale war.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned that the situation was worsening and could spiral into a state of war.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet supported a ceasefire proposal from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who currently chairs ASEAN. However, he claimed Thailand had withdrawn its support after initially agreeing to the plan, calling the reversal “regrettable.”

Thailand’s foreign ministry responded that it agreed in principle to the proposal but stressed that any ceasefire must be based on “appropriate on-the-ground conditions.” It also accused Cambodian forces of continuing indiscriminate attacks, endangering Thai civilians.