Thailand launches new offensives in Cambodia

Thailand has gone on the offensive after two weeks of border skirmishes with Cambodia, a country with a significantly smaller military. The attack came just a day after the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh announced that it would be shutting the border to Thailand amidst consistent Thai attacks on Cambodian border patrolmen. According to the Royal Thai Navy, Thai forces “Launched a military operation to reclaim Thai sovereign territory. The sovereign territory in question is the region of Trat, the southernmost province on mainland Thailand. According to the Royal Thai Navy, Cambodia conducted attacks on Thai military personnel in Trat, and Thailand responded.

The operation began in the early morning hours with heavy clashes, conducted under the principles of self-defence according to international law and the preservation of national sovereignty,

The Thai military claims it “successfully controlled and reclaimed the area, expelling all opposing forces.” The Cambodian military has not confirmed whether it committed offensives in Trat, but Cambodian media have reported Thai attacks in at least seven areas, including Pursat province, where the Thai military reportedly used F-16 fighter jets to drop bombs in the commune of Thma Da. The Thai military also allegedly fired artillery shells southward into Boeung Trakoun village in the Banteay Meanchey province. During the attacks, the Thai government also imposed a curfew on the province of Trat. Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in border skirmishes since May 2025.

Trump falsely reports ceasefire

Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Friday to announce that Thailand and Cambodia “have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim.” Thailand has denied the claim, and Cambodia hasn't commented on the social media post. There have been violent border clashes every day since Trump's post, further proving that it was either a lapse of consciousness or a full-on delusion as fighting between the two nations has killed at least 20 people and displaced about half a million on both sides of the disputed border just this week.

Trump continued to say that “the roadside bomb that originally killed and wounded numerous Thai Soldiers was an accident, but Thailand nevertheless retaliated very strongly,” which most likely prompted the Thai government to refute his statement. He also mentioned both Thai and Cambodian Prime Ministers, claiming that it was an “honor to work with Anutin and Hun in resolving what could have evolved into a major War.” A strange and seemingly random statement from the president of the United States, and certainly a futile one as well, with Thai authorities claiming it as falsehood almost immediately.

The original ceasefire between the two nations in July was indeed brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges from both Thailand and Cambodia, unless the two nations agreed. The ceasefire was formalized in October, but Thailand suspended the agreement in November after Thai soldiers were wounded by landmines at the border. Thailand has reportedly stressed to Trump that the onus is on Cambodia to halt the conflict, but Thailand has a significantly more advanced military than Cambodia.

Thailand's military is significantly larger than Cambodia's, with Thailand funding an annual budget of almost $7bn USD and operating with more than 360,000 military personnel. Cambodia's military operates with an annual budget of $1bn USD, and carries just under 125,000 total personnel. The stark difference in these nations' military capabilities comes from the sky. Thailand owns more than 120 operational fighter aircraft, while Cambodia doesn't have any. It's no surprise that Cambodia remains dedicated to upholding the ceasefire, while Thailand appears to be willing to continue offensive aggression.