Death toll hits 33 as Thai-Cambodian clashes rage on despite ceasefire call

The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia escalated for a third consecutive day on Saturday, July 26, 2025, resulting in a grim death toll of 33, making it the bloodiest fighting between the two nations in years. Cambodia has urgently pleaded for an "immediate ceasefire."

The intense conflict, which erupted on Thursday and involves jets, artillery, tanks, and ground troops, prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday.

Casualty figures reported by both sides paint a somber picture. Cambodia's defense ministry confirmed 13 fatalities, comprising eight civilians and five soldiers, with 71 people wounded. Meanwhile, Thailand's army reported five soldiers killed on Friday, bringing their total toll to 20, including 14 civilians and six military personnel. The combined death toll of 33 now surpasses the 28 killed in the last major round of fighting between 2008 and 2011.

Both nations reported fresh clashes around 5:00 a.m. (2200 GMT Friday). Cambodia accused Thai forces of firing "five heavy artillery shells" into Pursat province, which borders Thailand's Trat province, located some 250 kilometers (160 miles) southwest of the main frontlines. AFP journalists near Samraong, a Cambodian town close to the main border conflict area, heard artillery fire early Saturday afternoon, as did a Thai villager sheltering in a bunker in Sisaket province, just 10 kilometers from the frontier.

The escalating violence has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, with over 138,000 people evacuated from Thailand's border regions and more than 35,000 displaced from their homes in Cambodia.

Following the closed meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo reiterated his country's demand for "an immediate ceasefire — unconditionally — and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute."

However, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa stated on Saturday that for any ceasefire or talks to proceed, Cambodia needed to demonstrate "genuine sincerity in ending the conflict." He urged Cambodia to "stop violating Thai sovereignty and to return to resolving the issue through bilateral dialogue." Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura had previously indicated Bangkok's openness to talks, possibly mediated by Malaysia, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both Thailand and Cambodia are members.

Both sides have attributed blame to the other for initiating the conflict. Thailand has accused Cambodia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital and a petrol station hit by shells and rockets. In turn, Cambodia has accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions, a controversial weapon.

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who remains an influential figure, visited shelters on Saturday to meet evacuees. He stated that "the military needs to complete its operations before any dialogue can take place" and expressed no plans to contact Hun Sen, Cambodia's powerful ex-prime minister and a former close ally, describing Hun Sen's actions as reflecting a "disturbed mindset."

The current fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a long-running border dispute over sections of their shared 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. The dispute, often centered around ancient temples like Preah Vihear, has flared up intermittently, with previous conflicts between 2008 and 2011 leaving at least 28 people dead. While a UN court ruling in 2013 provided some clarity, tensions reignited in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a new clash. Relations further deteriorated last month following the release of a leaked phone call between Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra concerning the border dispute, which led to a political crisis in Thailand and Paetongtarn's suspension from office by a court order.