Thailand-Cambodia Conflict Escalates: Airstrikes End Fragile Peace

December 8, 2025: A dangerous escalation in the long-running border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia occurred on Monday, December 8, 2025, as Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian military positions. The attacks shattered a fragile peace deal brokered by international parties just two months ago.

Both countries immediately blamed each other for initiating the new wave of violence.

The Day’s Events and Casualties

The latest clashes began early Monday morning. According to the Royal Thai Army, the strikes were a direct retaliation for an earlier Cambodian attack that killed one Thai soldier and wounded several others in the country’s eastern Ubon Ratchathani province. The Thai military stated that it used aircraft to strike “military targets in several areas” to suppress the incoming attacks.

In response, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence condemned the airstrikes as “brutal and inhumane,” accusing Thai forces of firing first and engaging in provocative actions for days. Cambodia claims its troops did not retaliate during the initial attacks. Reports indicate heavy exchanges of fire near long-disputed sites, including ancient temple complexes like Tamone Thom and Ta Krabei.

Civilian Impact and Evacuations

The renewed fighting has forced a mass exodus of civilians living along the border. Thai authorities have reported that over 35,000 people have already been moved to temporary shelters, with over 385,000 residents across four border districts being evacuated as a precaution against further hostilities. Villagers on the Cambodian side have also been forced to flee their homes.

A Ceasefire Collapses

This crisis marks the most serious violation of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, an expanded ceasefire agreement signed in late October and witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. That deal was put in place after a brutal five-day conflict in July 2025, which tragically resulted in dozens of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.

The peace accord had been under severe strain for weeks. Thailand suspended its commitment to the agreement in November following a landmine blast that injured several Thai soldiers, which Bangkok blamed on newly planted Cambodian explosives—an accusation Phnom Penh denies.

Root of the Conflict

The territorial dispute is deep-rooted, stretching back over a century to colonial-era maps drawn by the French when they ruled Cambodia. The undemarcated, or unclear, border area, particularly around ancient temple sites like the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, has repeatedly ignited nationalistic sentiment and military skirmishes. Since the July conflict, diplomatic ties between the two nations have sharply deteriorated.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has called for immediate restraint, emphasizing that the region “cannot afford to see long-standing disputes slip into cycles of confrontation.” The latest escalation confirms the fragility of the peace and raises serious concerns about the prospects for long-term stability in the region.