CAMBODIA has called for an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire following two days of deadly clashes with Thailand along their disputed north-western border, as tens of thousands of civilians flee the fighting.
The appeal was made during an emergency closed-door session of the United Nations Security Council on 25 July, convened at Cambodia’s request after exchanges of heavy artillery and rocket fire were reported across several border zones.
“We asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute,” said Cambodia’s ambassador to the UN, Chhea Keo, following the meeting in New York.
While the Security Council issued no formal statement, a diplomat present said all 15 members had called for restraint, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution. They also backed efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), currently chaired by Malaysia, to mediate the dispute.
Fighting resumed at around 4am on 25 July, according to the Thai army, with Cambodian forces reportedly deploying heavy artillery and BM-21 rocket systems near three contested areas, including the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple. Thai troops responded with what was described as “appropriate supporting fire”.
By the afternoon, Thai officials said hostilities had begun to ease. “We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia… But so far we have not had any response,” said Thai foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura.
Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, accused Cambodia of targeting civilian areas, including a hospital and a petrol station. He warned that while the clashes remained localised, “it could develop into war” if the situation worsened.
“We have exercised utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression,” he said in Bangkok.
Cambodia’s envoy rejected allegations of aggression, questioning how a smaller country without an air force could be accused of initiating conflict against a better-equipped neighbour. “We do not do that,” said Keo. “We are calling for maximum restraint and a diplomatic solution.”
On the ground, the humanitarian toll is mounting. Thailand’s health ministry reported that more than 138,000 people had fled villages in four border provinces, with 15 confirmed dead – 14 civilians and one soldier – and 46 injured, including 15 troops.
Cambodian authorities said over 23,000 people had been displaced on their side of the border. A 70-year-old man was killed on 24 July after a Thai rocket hit a Buddhist pagoda in Oddar Meanchey province, where five other civilians were injured. Cambodia’s education ministry said two Thai rockets struck a school compound on 25 July, though no injuries were reported. Schools in the province have been closed.
Villages along the frontier have been left almost entirely deserted. In Surin, Thailand, some 600 evacuees have taken shelter in a university gymnasium. “I just heard, boom, boom,” said seamstress Pornpan Sooksai, who fled with her family and pets. “I was frightened, scared.”
Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, recalled previous clashes but said this time the violence was worse. “Children, old people, were hit out of the blue,” she said. “I never imagined it would be this violent.”
Across the border, Cambodians in Oddar Meanchey have taken refuge in makeshift shelters and rural temples. “I live very close to the border. We are scared,” said Pro Bak, 41, as he fled Samraong with his wife and children. “So many people are leaving. I just want to return home and work on the farm.”
The violence marks a sharp escalation in a long-standing territorial dispute over the two nations’ 800-kilometre shared border. Though largely settled by a 2013 UN court ruling, tensions have simmered since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish.
Previous clashes between 2008 and 2011 left at least 28 dead and displaced tens of thousands. Both countries remain members of ASEAN, which has offered to mediate the current crisis.
None of the other attendees of the UN Security Council meeting made public statements. “Let’s see how the call can be heard by all the members there,” said Keo. - July 26, 2025
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