Thailand, Cambodia Soldiers Exchange Gunfire in Border Zone

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thai and Cambodian soldiers engaged in a brief exchange of gunfire on Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025, in a long sensitive border region, with no reported casualties. Violence between the armed forces of the two neighboring countries rarely occurs.

As reported by ABS-CBN, the 10-minute exchange was reported to have occurred in the disputed area located in the Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia, and the Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand.

However, both sides gave conflicting statements regarding who initiated the gunfire.

The area in the Choam Ksan District of Cambodia and the Chong Bok border pass in Thailand is undermarcated, and both neighboring Southeast Asian countries stake claims in the area.

On Wednesday, at around 05.45 a.m. local time, the Thai military stated that Cambodian forces had "moved into the overlapping border area, in violation of the agreement between the two countries."

The Thai military then decided to deploy forces to intercept them, as reported by the Thai Public Broadcasting Service.

“The Cambodian force opened fire at the Thai troops, triggering a firefight which lasted about ten minutes,” said the Thai army, as quoted from Anadolu.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the Royal Cambodian Army, Major General Mao Phalla, stated, "a brief clash did occur," and that  "Thai side initiated the gunfire,” as reported by the Phnom Penh Post.

Thailand stated that the Cambodian military later requested a ceasefire. Although the situation has returned to normal, both forces are still at the scene.

Bloody armed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand broke out in 2008 over the ancient Khmer temple location in Preah Vihear near the border.

Disputes over a piece of land next to the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple resulted in sporadic violence for several years, causing at least 28 deaths before the International Court of Justice ruled that the disputed area belonged to Cambodia.

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