BANGKOK, THAILAND – Renewed fighting along the Thai–Cambodian border left at least one Thai soldier dead and prompted sweeping evacuations and emergency measures on both sides.
Intense clashes and competing military claims
By 8 December, multiple sectors of the frontier saw new exchanges of fire, with reports of one Thai soldier killed and 18 wounded as the situation remained tense throughout the day. Thai military units said they had responded to mortar and small‑arms fire at several points, including the Chan‑An‑Ma and Chan‑Bok passes in Ubon Ratchathani, where artillery and other heavy munitions were reportedly used. The army stated that F‑16 jets were deployed to strike military targets in Cambodia in order to suppress long‑range weapons threatening Thai territory.
Airstrikes, artillery and strategic high ground
The Thai army confirmed that aircraft had been used at around 07:15 to hit what it described as military positions on the Cambodian side to prevent the use of long‑range systems. Foreign media reported that at least three sites in Cambodia were struck by F‑16 jets, though these accounts had yet to be independently verified. Earlier, the Second Army Area said it had neutralised a “Hill 350” position west of Prasat Ta Kwai, describing it as part of efforts to protect civilians and uphold national sovereignty.
Border incidents, mines and alleged provocations
Thai reports also cited the use of BM‑21 rocket launchers, with shells said to have hit Ban Sai Tho 10 in Buri Ram without causing casualties. Military briefings referred to newly discovered PMN‑2 anti‑personnel mines on Thai soil, documented by an ASEAN observer team and presented as evidence pointing to Cambodian responsibility, a claim lacking international confirmation. Thai online sources further alleged that Cambodian forces staged provocative scenes for cameras near the border, while Cambodian units were reported to be monitoring Thai activity closely.
Warnings of rocket fire and possible night attacks
Regional Command 2 said a “reliable source” had warned that Cambodian forces could fire BM‑21 multiple rocket launchers into Thai territory during the night to cause injuries, damage and confusion amid poor visibility. The command announced it would prevent and repel any such threat with all available means and urged residents to move to safe areas and follow official guidance. Separate Thai reports described the overnight movement of BM‑21 Grad, Type‑90B and RM‑70 rocket systems in Cambodian sectors near several border crossings, accompanied by continued civilian withdrawals from nearby villages.
Evacuations across Thai provinces
Thai authorities expanded evacuations as clashes intensified. In Sa Kaeo, four districts – Ta Phraya, Khok Sung, Aranyaprathet and Khlong Hat – were ordered cleared, with an estimated 56% of the population already moved to designated shelters and a further 20–30% expected to follow if fighting resumed. The province of Trat separately ordered immediate evacuations in parts of Mueang Trat, Bo Rai and Khlong Yai, instructing residents to proceed to pre‑identified shelters and await further announcements.
Border towns under pressure and school closures
In Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani, repeated heavy artillery blasts near Chong An Ma prompted many residents to leave, some taking refuge in pre‑prepared bunkers. The Education Ministry ordered the closure of 641 schools in the five border provinces of Surin, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram and Sa Kaeo due to ongoing clashes and evacuations. Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat said classes would remain suspended until the situation stabilised and that contingency plans, including online teaching, were being prepared.
Humanitarian response and local support drives
The Second Army Area reported that 1,436 volunteers were assisting civilians in affected border areas by running shelters, distributing supplies, setting up mobile kitchens and helping with evacuations in four provinces. Severely ill people had already been moved from risk zones to hospitals in Prasat and the Weerawatyothin military camp. In Buri Ram, donation drives were launched at the Chang International Circuit to collect drinking water, non‑perishable food, blankets, hygiene products and baby supplies for those fleeing the border.
Emergency health measures and heightened alert
Thailand’s Health Ministry expanded its operational and preparedness zones related to the clashes to seven provinces and raised the emergency status to level 2 out of 3. The aim was to better coordinate medical capacity, evacuation procedures and emergency teams along the frontier in case of further incidents. In Trat, where barbed wire was erected in long‑disputed border areas, the navy’s humanitarian demining unit was pulled back from Ban Chamrak after a Thai soldier was injured.
Leaders in Bangkok and Phnom Penh signal resolve
The National Security Council in Bangkok authorised military operations “wherever necessary” in response to the fighting since 7 December.
“The government will act in accordance with the NSC decision. There will be ‘military operations in all cases’, depending on the conditions of each situation,”
said Anutin Charnvirakul, prime minister, adding that further operations would be carried out if needed and insisting Thailand was not the aggressor.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet issued a statement stressing that the government’s main task was to protect the population and safeguard territorial sovereignty. He called on all ministries, state agencies, military leadership levels and the wider public to stand united during what he described as a difficult phase.
Cambodian accusations and information war
A Cambodian government spokeswoman, identified as Mali, said her country had come under heavy attack from the Thai side, alleging bombardment of Cambodian positions and the use of tear gas.
“Cambodia is being heavily fired upon from Thailand,”
said Mali, warning people not to believe what she described as “false information from Thailand”. The statement’s claims had no independent or international confirmation at the time and were presented as Cambodia’s account of events.
Strategic sites, monuments and drone reports
Thai media reported that soldiers had fired on the Golden‑Horse Monument near Phlan Hin Paet Kon, a symbol of Cambodia’s 3rd Support Division, though the origin and extent of any damage remained unclear. Separate reports said Thai forces had used mortars against an area in O’Smach, opposite the Chong Chom crossing in Surin, described as a “scam‑centre complex” allegedly used by Cambodian troops for drone surveillance and heavy‑weapons storage, again without independent verification. Thai sources also claimed to have shot down a low‑flying drone from Cambodia at the Chong A Na Ma border sector, suggesting it could have been intended to drop small explosives, a purpose that had not been neutrally confirmed.
Disputed terrain and suspended tourism plans
Local Thai reports highlighted Phlan Hin Paet Kon in Si Sa Ket as a strategically important area on the frontier, where new attacks by Cambodian units were said to have taken place. The plateau had once been heavily mined before Thai specialists cleared it, and Thailand had planned to build a road and develop the site for tourism. Those plans were put on hold in light of the latest clashes in the long‑disputed border zone.
Civilian movements inside Cambodia
Thai online reports, based solely on Thai sources, said Cambodian forces had urged civilians in the provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey to leave frontier areas as a precaution. The accounts described heavy traffic and long vehicle queues as many residents reportedly left their homes. There were also repeated reports of evacuations from Cambodian border villages in sectors where heavy weapons were observed, though none of these claims had independent or international corroboration.
Ongoing skirmishes and video from the front line
The Thai army released a video said to show combat operations near Prasat Ta Kwai, circulating on social media under the hashtag #ไทยเขมร. Officials said the material was intended to document the security situation along the border, while noting that details of the footage and any damage had not been independently confirmed. Another widely shared clip purported to show Cambodian soldiers retreating rapidly from a battlefield after an earlier clash, with the army stressing that such videos often give only a partial or distorted picture and must be assessed cautiously.