Conflict is once more intensifying in the long-contested border area betweenThailand and Cambodia, causing worries for British travelers.
Up to 12 individuals, including a child who is eight years old, have lost their lives in the violent confrontations that are taking place in Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, with each side accusing the other of initiating the gunfire.
A Thai F-16 aircraft has been sent into action, launching multiple strikes into Cambodia and destroying a military objective. At the same time, artillery and rockets have been fired from the Cambodian side.
This tension has been building for months – with diplomatic ties worsening – and the disagreement regarding the area dates back nearly a hundred years.
Overview of the Thailand-Cambodia Conflict
Tensions have once more flared between Thailand and Cambodia due to an ongoing territorial conflict.
The UK Foreign Office has provided additional travel guidance for British nationals in Thailand.
Twelve individuals have lost their lives, among them an eight-year-old boy and a 15-year-old teenager, in Thailand.
Each side has blamed the other for initiating the attack..
No one can predict if it will escalate into a major conflict – however, Cambodia has announced that it will begin military conscription as early as next year.
In the absence of sufficient details regarding the circumstances,MathHotels.comhas created a guide for individuals on the scene and those observing from a distance.
Why is there conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?
Central to the dispute are conflicting understandings of the colonial-era maps created over a hundred years ago by the French – who previously ruled Cambodia – and by Siam (now known as Thailand).
Cambodia has relied on the 1907 map to assert its territorial claims, while Thailand has maintained that it was never formally approved.
This uncertainty resulted in a decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962, which granted the territory and the 11th-century temple Preah Vihear to Cambodia.
What has caused the conflicts seen today?
Long-standing border conflicts have created tension between the two neighboring countries – however, nationalist groups have intensified these issues.
Tensions reached their lowest point in May following the death of a Cambodian soldier during an armed conflict in a contested border region.
On Thursday, Cambodia reduced its diplomatic ties with Thailand to the minimum level, expelling the Thai ambassador and recalling Cambodian personnel from its embassy inBangkok.
The day prior, its neighbor also recalled its ambassador and expelled the leading Cambodian diplomat in protest following a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers, one of whom lost part of a leg.
Thailand has closed all its border crossings with the neighboring country.
What has been established regarding the Thailand-Cambodia dispute
The initial conflict occurred close to the Ta Muen Thom, a Khmer Hindu temple, at the boundary between Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.
The Thai military reported that Cambodian soldiers fired near the temple and sent up a surveillance drone. Additional troops, equipped with heavy weapons such as BM-21 rocket launchers and artillery, were sent in soon after.
Each side asserted they were defending themselves and accused the other of causing the clash.
To date, 11 Thai civilians and one military personnel have lost their lives, among them a child who was eight years old and a teenager aged 15.
A rocket attack near a supermarket and a gas station in Sisaket province resulted in the deaths of many individuals. Additionally, 14 more people have sustained injuries.
It is still uncertain whether there are any casualties among Cambodians, as the government has not disclosed information regarding its losses.
Is it secure to visit Thailand and Cambodia? Updated guidance from the Foreign Office on travel.
Each country draws a significant number of British visitors annually, yet it remains unknown how many residents are present in each nation at this time.
The Foreign Officehas recommended travelers from the UK to ‘be more cautious and remain vigilant in border regions,’ stating: ‘Be more cautious and remain vigilant in border regions and adhere to the guidance of local officials, particularly at tourist spots like the Preah Vihear temple, the Ta Kwai temple, and the Ta Muen Thom temple.’
There are also unexploded landmines in the border region. Stick to designated trails, particularly near Ta Krabey.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office stated that the land borders and checkpoints between Cambodia and Thailand are currently closed.
Additionally, the UK recommends avoiding all but necessary travel to areas in the south, near the Thailand-Malaysiaborder, including Pattani Province, Yala Province, Narathiwat Province, and the southern part of Songkhla Province – specifically south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, as well as south of the railway line running between Hat Yai and Padang Besar.
The FCDO also recommends avoiding all but necessary travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar railway route that passes through these regions.
Contact our news team via email [email protected].
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