Thailand’s army said on Tuesday that a Cambodian military strike wounded a Thai soldier near the border, accusing Cambodia of violating a ceasefire agreed less than two weeks ago. Cambodian forces later told Thai officials that the incident was accidental.
According to the Thai army, Cambodian troops fired mortar rounds into Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province early Tuesday morning. Shrapnel from the blast injured one Thai soldier, who was evacuated for medical treatment.
The ceasefire between the two Southeast Asian neighbours came into effect on December 27, following nearly three weeks of clashes along their disputed border. Last year’s fighting, including heavy clashes in December, killed dozens of people and forced around one million residents on both sides to flee their homes.
In an initial statement, the Thai army said Cambodia had clearly violated the truce. However, it later said Cambodian military officials contacted their Thai counterparts and claimed there was no intention to fire into the territory of Thailand. Cambodian officials reportedly said the incident was caused by an operational mistake.
“The Thai military has warned Cambodian forces to exercise extreme caution,” the army said, adding that Thailand may be forced to respond if a similar incident happens again.Cambodia’s defence ministry spokeswoman, Maly Socheata, declined to comment on the Thai allegations.Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his government had formally protested to Phnom Penh, stating that the ceasefire had been breached.
“At the military level, we were told this was an accident,” Anutin told reporters in Bangkok. “But we are seeking clarification on how responsibility will be taken.”He stressed that Thailand has the military capability to respond if needed, noting that Cambodia’s armed forces are far smaller than Thailand’s. He added that provincial authorities near the border had been instructed to prepare for any escalation, though no evacuation orders had been issued.
Since the ceasefire took hold, hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced by December’s fighting have begun returning to their homes on both sides of the border.
Thailand and Cambodia have been locked in a decades-long dispute over parts of their 800-kilometre border, much of which was drawn during the colonial era. Both countries claim ownership of certain areas, including sites containing ancient temple ruins.Under the December ceasefire agreement, the two sides pledged to stop fighting, freeze troop movements, and cooperate on clearing landmines along the border.As a confidence-building step, Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers on December 31 who had been detained since deadly clashes in July. Thailand’s foreign ministry described the move as a “gesture of goodwill,” while Cambodia said it hoped the release would help rebuild trust.
Previous attempts to end the conflict have failed. A truce brokered last year by the United States, China, and Malaysia collapsed within months. In October, US President Donald Trump travelled to Malaysia to oversee the signing of a new agreement to extend the ceasefire, but Thailand suspended it a month later after its soldiers were wounded by landmines during border patrols.
Despite the latest ceasefire, tensions remain high. On Saturday, Cambodia called on Thailand to withdraw troops from several disputed areas. Thailand rejected the demand, insisting its forces were stationed on Thai territory.
Cambodia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that it has proposed holding a bilateral border committee meeting with Thailand later this month in Siem Reap to discuss border demarcation.
However, Thailand has previously said that detailed border talks may need to wait until after its general elections on February 8 and the formation of a new government.