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At least 12 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in fresh clashes between Cambodia and Thailand. The conflict has escalated as months of simmering tensions between the two countries came to a head on Thursday.
According to reports from Thai authorities, artillery shelling resulted in eleven civilian casualties and one soldier death. In response, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called for United Nations Security Council intervention, describing the incident as “premeditated military aggression.” Thailand countered by stating Cambodia opened fire first.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh have a long history of border disputes. Recent tensions were exacerbated by the death of a Cambodian soldier in May in a contested area. On July 16, a Thai soldier was seriously injured after a mine detonated in a disputed border region. Thailand accused Cambodia of planting new mines along the border, which Cambodia denied.
Another explosion on Wednesday injured another Thai soldier. Cambodian authorities again denied laying fresh explosives.
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A Thai military unit saluting during training at Bangkok’s military barracks on April 19, 2011.
Border crossings between the two neighbors have been limited for several weeks. Reports indicated multiple points of conflict where both sides claim territory. Thailand announced it would seal its borders on Thursday.
Cambodia downgraded diplomatic relations with Thailand to “the lowest level” after Thailand recalled its ambassador in Phnom Penh, expelled Cambodia’s ambassador in Bangkok, and limited diplomatic channels. Cambodian news reported that the Cambodian military had shot down a Thai F-16, while both sides claimed the other had dropped bombs on a road.
Cambodia accused Thailand of climbing a temple close to the border and placing barbed wire there before launching a drone over the area. Cambodia also alleged that Thailand fired on its troops and expanded attacks to several other areas.
How Do Cambodia’s and Thailand’s Militaries Compare?
Hun Sen, former Cambodian leader, reportedly said Phnom Penh was “fully prepared for combat” and warned Bangkok not to boast of its superior military power. He added, “You will face the most severe retaliation.”
Thailand has a large, well-funded military, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Thailand’s defense budget for this year is just shy of $5.7 billion, while Cambodia’s is much lower at $1.3 billion.
**Air Forces**
Bangkok’s air force is one of the best equipped and trained in Southeast Asia. It has 112 combat-capable aircraft, including 46 F-16s of various variants and a few fourth-generation Swedish Gripen jets. Well-maintained F-16s and Gripens are considered very capable aircraft. Thailand is phasing out older F-16s for more Gripens.
Thailand’s air force also has two Erieye airborne early warning aircraft that work alongside the Gripens.
Cambodia’s 1,500-person air force does not have fighter jets but has 26 helicopters of different types.
**Land and Naval Forces**
Cambodia’s army has roughly 75,000 personnel with approximately 200 tanks. Around 50 main battle tanks are Chinese-made versions of the Soviet-era T-54, and more than 150 T-54s and T-55s.
Phnom Penh also has 70 BMP-1 amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles from the Soviet era.
Thailand’s army has close to 400 main battle tanks, many of which are aged U.S.-made tanks. Bangkok also has an aircraft carrier and seven frigates, while Phnom Penh lacks a navy.
Both countries field artillery systems, including self-propelled missile rocket launchers and towed artillery. Cambodian systems are post-War like the BM-21 with a few 1990s Chinese systems, while Thailand has a mixture of recent U.S., Israeli, and Chinese systems.
**Conclusion**
Thailand fields the most modern main battle tanks, including VT4 from China, whereas Cambodia relies heavily on 1950s T-54 models. Both countries have artillery systems, but Cambodian systems are generally post-War, while Thailand’s mix includes more recent systems.
📚 Reading Comprehension Quiz
According to the reports, how many civilian casualties were reported by Thai authorities as a result of the artillery shelling during the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand?
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