Thailand warns of war with Cambodia as 138,000 displaced
What's the story
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that cross-border hostilities with Cambodia "could develop into war" as the countries traded deadly strikes for the second day. The fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has forced over 138,000 people to flee their homes so far. The conflict erupted on July 24 along their shared border and has since intensified with the use of jets, artillery, tanks, and ground troops.
Rising toll
Thailand has reported 15 deaths
The health ministry of Thailand has reported 15 deaths, including 14 civilians and a soldier. Another 46 people have been injured, including 15 soldiers. On the Cambodian side, a civilian was killed and five others were wounded in Oddar Meanchey province. The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on July 25 to discuss this escalating crisis at Cambodia's request.
Diplomatic intervention
UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter
The fighting is a significant escalation in a long-running disagreement between the neighbors, both renowned tourist attractions, over their shared 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. Dozens of kilometers in numerous regions are contested, and warfare erupted between 2008 and 2011, killing at least 28 people and displacing tens of thousands. A UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter for over a decade, but tensions resurfaced in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in another clash.
Border history
Current conflict major escalation in long-standing border dispute
According to the Thai army, fighting on July 24 centered on six areas, including two ancient temples. Thais scrambled F-16 jets to strike military targets across the frontier, while Cambodia fired rockets and shells into Thailand, and ground troops backed up by tanks fought for control of territory. Both sides blamed the other for firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital struck by shells and a gas station hit by at least one rocket.
Diplomatic fallout
Fighting led to diplomatic downgrades between Thailand and Cambodia
The fighting has also led to diplomatic downgrades between Thailand and Cambodia. On July 24, Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador after five members of its military patrol were injured by a landmine. In response, Cambodia downgraded ties to "the lowest level," expelling most diplomats from Phnom Penh and retaining only one.