Thailand launches airstrikes against the Cambodian military

Thailand launched airstrikes in neighboring Cambodia on Monday, the Thai military said, with both sides blaming the latest outbreak of fighting on their disputed border that killed a Thai soldier.

After Cambodian troops opened fire on Thai forces early Monday morning in Ubon Ratchathani province, “the military received reports that Thai soldiers were attacked with supporting firearms, resulting in one soldier being killed and four wounded,” Thai military spokesman Winthai Suvari said in a statement.

Winthai also said Thailand has begun “using aircraft to strike military targets in many areas” to quell attacks by Cambodian forces.

Cambodian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said Thai forces launched an attack on Cambodian troops in the border provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey early Monday morning, accusing Thailand of “firing multiple tank shots at Tamone Thom Temple” and other areas near Preah Vihear Temple.

He said Cambodia did not retaliate.

Met Measpheakdey, a spokesman for the Cambodian administration of Oddar Meanchey provincial administration, said gunfire was reported in the areas of the centuries-old Tamone Thom and Ta Krabei temples and that a number of villagers living near the border were escaping safely.

Thailand’s Second Army District said in a statement that about 35,000 people in Thailand have been evacuated from areas along the border with Cambodia after the fresh fighting.

Both sides reported a brief clash on Sunday, which the Thai military said left two soldiers wounded.

Five days of fighting erupted between Thailand and Cambodia this summer, killing 43 people and displacing an estimated 300,000 before a ceasefire took effect.