The growing border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia continued into its third day with new attacks, as fears of war loom.
The conflict’s death toll rose substantially on Saturday, with Cambodian authorities reporting 12 new deaths and Thailand one, making the total confirmed death toll 13 Cambodians and 20 Thai. More people were evacuated from border areas on Saturday, bringing the total number of displaced people to 168,000.
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Saturday saw the Royal Thai Navy get involved in the conflict for the first time. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said that four Thai vessels were deployed off the coastal province of Koh Kong, with four other vessels on their way, in an “act of aggression.”
The Royal Thai Navy said in its own Saturday statement that it had intervened in the coastal Trat province after Cambodian forces launched a new attack, responding swiftly and “successfully pushed back the Cambodian incursion at three key points.” It warned that “aggression will not be tolerated.”
Thailand’s Navy is vastly superior to Cambodia’s, possessing nearly six times more vessels of much higher quality.
Both armies were accused of expanding the border conflict with new attacks in areas away from the disputed temple of Prasat Ta Muen Thom, where clashes first erupted on Thursday. The Royal Thai Army confirmed offensive operations on Saturday, claiming to have taken four disputed areas along the border. The Thai flag was raised above Phu Makhuea Mountain, a recognized part of Cambodia.
Cambodia’s Defense Ministry denounced the offensive operations as an “unprovoked and premeditated act of aggression.”
Both sides have been accused of hitting civilian targets. The Royal Thai Army denied targeting Cambodian civilian targets, instead saying Cambodia was using “human shields” by positioning weapons in residential areas. Videos on social media have shown Cambodian missile artillery firing from busy roads and residential areas.
“Neither Thailand nor Cambodia appears to be paying attention to international humanitarian law at great expense to civilians,” Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch John Sifton said in a statement. “Diplomatic efforts underway need to prioritize protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
Fighting also spilled over into neighboring Laos, with the Laotian Ministry of Defense saying 10 shells landed in its territory, though resulting in no casualties. The shells were believed to have come from the Royal Cambodian Army.
Torrential downpours reported caused fighting to temporarily halt in areas along the border, according to Nation Thailand, citing the Thai 2nd Army Operations Centre.
A Royal Thai military spokesperson voiced outrage over Cambodia’s deployment of PHL-03 long-range missiles, vowing to retaliate.
While the United States, China, the United Nations, and ASEAN have condemned the conflict and urged de-escalation from both sides, the larger Thailand has rejected mediation, insisting on bilateral negotiations only.
Fighting began on Thursday, when Cambodian and Thai forces began exchanging fire near the ancient, disputed temple of Prasat Ta Muen Thom. Small arms fire quickly escalated into heavy artillery and missile fire, airstrikes, and the deployment of tanks and armored vehicles.
“The situation has intensified and could develop into war,” acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters on Friday. “For now, it’s just clashes using heavy weaponry.”
Thailand is three times bigger than Cambodia in landmass and four times bigger in population. Thailand’s army is nearly five times larger in terms of personnel. Thailand’s army is significantly mechanized, with over 400 battle tanks and 1,2000 armored personnel carriers, while Cambodia possesses just 200 decades-old tanks, Reuters reported. Thailand has 6.5 more artillery pieces than Cambodia.
Combat footage posted on social media reflects the poor state of the Royal Cambodian Army, a far cry from the complex tactics illustrated by well-disciplined troops in the Russia-Ukraine War. Videos showed half-naked Cambodian soldiers firing blindly in the general direction of Thai positions, while their Soviet-era weapons constantly jammed. Thai soldiers are better equipped and armed, but haven’t undertaken decisive action as of yet.
The immediate conflict began in February after a group of Cambodian tourists was taken to the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, claimed by both countries, where they sang the Cambodian national anthem, according to an analysis from Nathan Ruser of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Tensions over the exchange led to Cambodian, then later Thai, soldiers fortifying positions along the border. The first shots were exchanged in May, prompting the reinforcement of the border. On Thursday, five Thai soldiers were wounded after one stepped on a Cambodian landmine, triggering the clashes that have escalated into the current exchanges.
Since February, Ruser calculated 33 escalatory events instigated by Cambodia, 14 escalatory events instigated by Thailand, and 9 joint deescalatory events.
Earlier this month, the border conflict caused the Thai prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to be suspended by the Constitutional Court after a leaked phone call appeared to show her adopting a deferential attitude toward her Cambodian counterpart.
Border disagreements between Thailand and Cambodia stem from a border treaty between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Siam signed in the early 20th century. The border dispute most recently resulted in conflict from 2008-2011, killing 40 people. The current round of fighting appears set to overtake this total after just three days.