Border clashes continued today in the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Rifle and artillery fire were heard near several villages on the border. The latest eruption in fighting started Thursday after a land mine exploded Wednesday near the area, wounding five Thai soldiers. Each side blamed the other for the resumption in violence today.

The 500-mile border between Thailand and Cambodia has long been disputed. But combative action between the two countries started anew in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in an incident in the Chong Bok Mountain pass near the disputed line. This incident re-ignited the tensions between the two countries and created havoc within Thailand’s political circles.

Thailand/Cambodia Border Dispute History

Problems between the two countries started in 1907 when the then French colony of Cambodia and the sovereign Kingdom of Siam (which later became Thailand in 1939) established the border between the two countries. Unfortunately, the map differed from its text, leaving the 11th-century Temple of Preah Vihear, which is sacred ground for both countries, in the French colony.

The area continued to be an issue during World War II, when the Thai government, which was allied with the Japanese Empire, seized the Temple. When the Axis powers were defeated in 1945, Thailand returned it to Cambodian control. However, in 1954, as Cambodia was gaining its independence from France, the Thai government again took possession of the area.

Cambodia brought the dispute to the International Court of Justice, referring back to the original 1907 map that concluded that the Temple and the area around it were part of Cambodia. The court agreed, and Thailand accepted the court’s decision and pulled its troops back across the border.

Tensions Continue

Tensions arose again in 2008 when Cambodia applied for a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designation for the Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site. Samak Sundaravej, the Thai prime minister at the time, initially supported the application but withdrew his support after political backlash.

UNESCO approved the designation, and the Cambodian government claimed that the Thai government sent troops into the area, which Thailand flatly denied. Both sides proceeded to build up their forces in the area, and clashes have occurred ever since.

After the Cambodian soldier was killed in Chong Bok, Thai Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, called on Cambodia’s recognized leader to tone down the tension. However, the call was posted online, and the Thai leader appeared to be deferring to Hun Manet by calling him “Uncle.” This created a political storm in Thailand, and there were calls for Paetongtarn’s resignation. As a result of this incident, the Thai constitutional court suspended the prime minister from discharging his duties.

Repercussions of the Dispute

Since the fighting started on Thursday, at least 33 people have been killed, and the conflict has displaced almost 170,000 people. Both countries have recalled their ambassadors, and Thailand has closed its border with Cambodia.

On Friday, Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters that given the severity of the situation and the threat to Thai civilians, war with Cambodia was possible. He said.

“This situation could potentially develop into a war. At present, it is still considered an armed clash involving heavy weaponry.”

International Outrage

U.S President Donald Trump and other world leaders are trying to de-escalate the situation. On Saturday, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had discussions with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and threatened to discontinue trade talks with both countries if the situation is not defused. He indicated that both sides have agreed to meet and negotiate a ceasefire.

And on Friday, in a United Nations Security Council meeting, the member nations called for a de-escalation of the hostilities. They also called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to negotiate a peace settlement. ASEAN chair Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has assigned his country’s foreign minister to oversee the peace talks, but no meetings have been scheduled as of yet.

And the world waits and hopes for peace.