BANGKOK — Fresh fighting has once again brought the Thai-Cambodian border into the spotlight. Thailand’s military chiefs met this Friday and agreed to keep all official crossings and trade points with Cambodia closed for the foreseeable future.
The decision arose as commanders flagged ongoing threats, claiming that Cambodia’s actions put Thai security at risk. The ban on movement remains until the military feels confident there is no longer a threat from the other side.
General Songwit Noonphukdi, Chief of the Defence Forces, started the meeting with a moment of silence for the 15 soldiers and civilians recently killed in clashes. With army, navy, and air force leaders by his side, Gen. Songwit described the border closure as a necessary step to prevent further violence.
According to a statement after the meeting, he accused Cambodia of undermining the July truce and warned crossings would not open again until the risk drops and both sides agree to ease tensions.
Military leaders also pushed forward plans to boost defences along the 817-kilometre border. Work began hours after their meeting, with the first high-tech CCTV system put up at the main checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province.
These cameras can watch all around and run on solar power, forming the start of a larger security web that will also use drones and more fencing. The goal is to spot and record any future border incidents quickly.
These new security moves come days after a September 17 confrontation, which many fear could lead to open conflict. At Ban Nong Ya Kaeo (Prey Chan in Cambodia), Thai riot police used rubber bullets and tear gas on several hundred Cambodian demonstrators, who were trying to tear down new wire fencing.
The clash near key boundary markers injured at least 23 Cambodians, including Buddhist monks, according to Cambodia’s information minister, Neth Pheaktra. Thai military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvari reported that the crowd attacked Thai forces with sticks and stones, leading to five officers being hurt. The military said it followed international protocols, only using crowd control tactics after talks failed.
Cambodia has strongly objected, calling the incident a violation of its territory. Officials claimed that Thai forces crossed into Banteay Meanchey to stop locals from protecting their fields.
Prime Minister Hun Manet sent letters to world leaders and ASEAN, calling Thailand’s actions one-sided and risky. The US State Department has urged both sides to push forward with plans for a joint observer mission.
The dispute continues a long struggle that started well before either country gained independence. Ambiguous agreements from the early 1900s left many sections of the border unclear, especially near ancient temples such as Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice handed Preah Vihear to Cambodia, later confirming this in 2013. But arguments over surrounding land still spark nationalist feelings. The last major clashes, between 2008 and 2011, led to dozens of deaths and thousands forced from their homes.
Tensions rose this year on May 28 when fighting in the Emerald Triangle killed Cambodian Second Lt. Suon Roun. Thailand’s Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai downplayed the event at first, but peace talks soon fell apart. Cambodia responded by blocking Thai goods, while Thailand cut back on cross-border power and internet.
The situation escalated on July 23 when a Thai patrol was hit by a landmine in Ubon Ratchathani, badly injuring five soldiers. Bangkok accused Cambodia of placing the mines, leading both sides to recall ambassadors and close more border posts.
The day after, Cambodian drones were spotted over Thai positions, followed by rocket attacks that hit civilian areas, including a hospital. Thailand answered with airstrikes, artillery fire, and ground action, marking the bloodiest fighting in more than ten years.
The worst week saw at least 38 people killed, mostly civilians, and over 300,000 people fled their homes, with about 135,000 Thais seeking refuge in Surin and Sisaket. Malaysia, the ASEAN chair, helped broker a ceasefire on July 28 in Putrajaya. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called it a positive start, while the US and China stepped in with pressure to calm both sides. Still, the truce remains unstable.
After the ceasefire, Thailand acted quickly to strengthen the border. The National Security Council approved new wires and cameras in late August, starting at Sa Kaeo. By mid-September, these reinforced barriers appeared in other trouble spots like Ubon Ratchathani and Sisaket, sparking anger among Cambodians who see the fences as taking land they have farmed for generations.
The fighting affects more than soldiers at the frontier. In Thailand, the flare-up has deepened political divisions. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended in July over a leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen, seen by some as too lenient. She was removed by the Constitutional Court in August.
The closure of the border has hit trade worth $3 billion a year, forced casinos in Poipet to shut, and left more than 50,000 Cambodian workers stranded. Daily life has changed for border residents. In Surin, rice farmer Pa Srakaeo (58) wonders if life will ever return to normal after seeing so many lose their homes. Across the border in Oddar Meanchey, families shelter in makeshift camps, their farmland split by new barriers.
Pressure is rising from outside as well. The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting in July, with all 15 members calling for restraint. Norway, Pakistan, and Russia issued new pleas, and ASEAN’s General Border Committee will meet in October with hopes of finding a way forward. However, with Cambodia reaching out to the ICJ and Thailand pushing for direct talks instead, any solution still feels far off.
At dusk, the razor wire and watchful security cameras stand as symbols of old wounds. For Thailand’s military, reinforcing the border is a clear choice. For people living near Preah Vihear’s cliffs, peace will need more than strong fences; it will take real efforts to build trust and reconnect both sides.
