Overview
- Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra inspected the Aranyaprathet border crossing today while former Cambodian premier Hun Sen toured troops in Oddar Meanchey province.
- Both sides have massed troops along their 817-kilometer frontier, with Cambodia suspending fuel exports and Thailand sealing multiple land crossings.
- Economic sanctions have slashed cross-border trade, dampened casino foot traffic and forced many border businesses to shut early with revenue losses up to 75%.
- The escalating dispute has fragmented Thailand’s ruling coalition, prompted a parliamentary no-confidence motion against the prime minister and triggered judicial and anti-graft investigations.
- The clashes trace back to a century-old claim around Preah Vihear Temple following a 2015 ICJ ruling in Cambodia’s favor and a failed bid to resolve the Chong Bok land dispute.