The clashes began near the Ta Muen Thom temple complex in Thailand’s Surin province, part of a series of ancient Khmer Hindu temples situated along the forested Dangrek Mountains.
Thailand accused Cambodian troops of sparking the confrontation by flying drones near Thai military positions, prompting heavy artillery exchanges.Both nations have blamed each other for initiating the assault. Reuters reported that Cambodia deployed truck-mounted rocket launchers, while Thailand retaliated with airstrikes using US-made F-16 jets. Thai authorities have shut down all border checkpoints along the contested area and raised the threat level to “Level 4”.
What is the historical dispute behind the conflict?
The territorial dispute dates back to a 1907 map drawn by French colonial surveyors during Cambodia’s period under French rule. Thailand, then known as Siam, initially accepted the map but later argued it had misinterpreted the demarcations, assuming the border followed natural watershed lines.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, ordering Thailand to withdraw troops and return seized artefacts.
Despite the ruling, Thailand maintained its claims, and fresh clashes erupted in 2008. The ICJ reaffirmed Cambodia’s sovereignty in 2013, extending it to surrounding areas of the temple.In recent years, other temples such as Ta Muen Thom — along with Ta Muen and Ta Muen Tot — have become new flashpoints.
A naturally formed Shivling in Ta Muen Thom has heightened religious sentiment around the site, which also holds strategic value due to its unique south-facing shrine and rugged border location, according to NDTV.
Nationalist sentiments rising in the region
Tensions have intensified since May, after a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire on May 28.
Nationalist fervour in Thailand has surged following the leak of a phone call between then Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian leader Hun Sen, during which she appeared to criticise a Thai army commander. The controversy led to her suspension by court order on July 1, as reported by The Associated Press.
Diplomatic efforts and deadlock
Attempts to defuse the crisis through bilateral mechanisms have stalled. After the May 2025 skirmish, both nations agreed in principle to hold talks via their Joint Boundary Commission. However, little progress has been made, and troop build-ups continue on both sides.
Cambodia has written to the United Nations Security Council, accusing Thailand of “unprovoked and premeditated military aggression” and appealing for international intervention.
Thailand, however, insists on bilateral negotiations and maintains that hostilities must cease before talks can proceed.