Thailand carries out more airstrikes on Cambodia as deadly border
conflict flares
[December 19, 2025]
By SOPHENG CHEANG and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Thailand on Thursday carried out more
airstrikes on Cambodia, claiming its jet fighters struck a warehouse
where the Cambodian army had stored rockets that have been deployed to
deadly effect in combat that began last week.
The two nations have been fighting over patches of territory along the
border that both claim. Several disputed areas contain the remains of
centuries-old temples that have been damaged by the fighting, with
Thailand claiming Cambodian forces had used them as bases.
The latest round of widespread fighting began on Dec. 8, a day after a
border skirmish wounded two Thai soldiers. Since then combat has broken
out on several fronts, with Thailand carrying out airstrikes in Cambodia
with F-16 fighter jets and Cambodia firing thousands of medium-range
BM-21 rockets from truck-mounted launchers that can shoot up to 40 at a
time.
Cambodia reported Thursday that Thai jets had dropped bombs on Poipet, a
city in northwestern Cambodia that in peaceful times is its main hub for
land-based trade with Thailand. It said Thai F-16s had dropped three
bombs on a civilian residential neighborhood, damaging part of a
warehouse and causing slight injuries to two civilians.
Information Minister Neth Pheaktra later said a second bombing struck
Serei Sophaon, 46 kilometers (29 miles) east of Poipet in Banteay
Meanchey province.
Thailand's military acknowledged it had bombed Poipet, but claimed that
Cambodia had given the impression it had hit the center of the city,
while the target was actually on its outskirts.
Thai Air Force spokesperson Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai said the
targeted warehouse was attacked because it was used to store BM-21
rockets, and that every effort was made to avoid injuring civilians. The
city has been largely evacuated since the latest fighting began.
Media in Thailand reported that 21 soldiers have been killed since Dec.
8.
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The Thai military fires artillery towards Cambodia, Tuesday, Dec.
16, 2025, in Surin province, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Thailand said one civilian died directly a result of combat, while
20 others died in circumstances related to the conflict, such as
stress during evacuation.
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry said Thursday that 18 civilians were
killed and 79 were injured since Dec. 8. It has not announced
military deaths, which Thailand has estimated at more than 200.
Hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border have
been evacuated to temporary displacement camps.
Each side blames the other for initiating the fighting and claims to
be acting in self defense.
In July, five days of fighting ended with a ceasefire promoted by
U.S. President Donald Trump. It had been brokered by Malaysia and
pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold
trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was
formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in
Malaysia that Trump attended.
Trump announced last week that the two countries had agreed at his
urging to renew the ceasefire, but Thai Prime Minister Anutin
Charnvirakul denied making any commitment and Cambodia announced it
was continuing to fight,
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has continued his efforts to
make peace, and China, a close ally of Cambodia that also maintains
good relations with Thailand, said it was sending a special envoy to
both countries this week to seek an end to the fighting.
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Associated Press writer Jintamas reported from Bangkok.
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