Thai–Cambodian Border Clashes Raise Thai Death Toll to Eight as Russia Calls for Talks

Overview

• Khaosod English, citing the Royal Thai Armed Forces page, reported the death of an eighth Thai soldier in the ongoing border conflict.
• Clashes that began on December 7 have involved small arms, artillery and airstrikes, with Thailand saying its air force hit Cambodian military infrastructure in response to shelling.
• Thai military statements accuse Cambodian forces of firing BM-21 rockets and using attack drones, while Cambodian and Thai media offer conflicting accounts of who fired first.
• Cambodia’s Defense Ministry called on the international community to condemn what it described as Thailand’s violation of a peace declaration agreed in Kuala Lumpur in October.
• Thai authorities earlier ordered evacuations in four border provinces as the dispute over temporary demarcation displaced families and fueled localized fighting.