Thais bomb military targets and scam centers near Cambodian city of Poipet
China and EU among powers expressing public concern over escalating conflict
PHNOM PENH/BANGOK -- Thailand's military said its F-16 fighter jets bombed scam centers and military targets near the Cambodian city of Poipet on Thursday, the first strike so close to a major city since cross-border clashes resumed 13 days ago.
Cambodia said Serei Saophoan district, about 47 kilometers from Poipet, where many people displaced by the fighting closer the border have fled to, was also bombed. Fighting reportedly continued in several other locations along the border during the day.
The escalation in the conflict came as international concern mounts about the the fighting, which has claimed several dozen lives. China said it was sending an envoy to the region on Thursday and Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, offered EU "satellite imagery for ceasefire monitoring." ASEAN foreign ministers are due to discuss the crisis in an emergency meeting on Monday.
The Thai military said F-16s "bombed five spots in Cambodia's Poipet district in order to destroy the scams centers and Cambodian [military resources] that aimed to attack Thailand."
Chiv Hong, 35, who sells pork and rice from a street cart, told Nikkei Asia she heard three explosions nearby while at Poipet's Central Market neighborhood in the morning and the three in the afternoon that sounded further away. It was not clear if the afternoon sounds were within the city limits.
Poipet, which sits just inside Cambodia from Thailand, is famous for both its casinos and scam centers. Before the cross-border tensions flared in May it was extremely popular with tourists from Thailand, where casinos are banned.
Sarin Khun, a manager at Fast Growth Logistics inside the Poipet O'Neang Special Economic Zone, told Nikkei that he and other workers in the zone were now "scared and worried", and preparing to shelter at home and stay away from central locations in the city. "We can't do anything beside keeping everyone safe", he said in a message. "We will stay in Poipet until we are informed to leave by local authorities."
Both sides blame each other for causing the fighting over their disputed border, which erupted for five days in July. A ceasefire was agreed after intervention by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, this year's ASEAN chair, and U.S. President Donald Trump. But Thailand suspended the implementation of the deal last month after Thai troops were maimed by landmines that Bangkok said had been recently laid by Cambodia, a charge Phnom Penh denies.
Clashes began again on Dec. 7 and have spread along the border. Thai forces have struck targets up to 70 km from the border, in Siem Reap province. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has refused to halt military operations until his generals deem that the Cambodian threat has been neutralized, resisting further pressure from Trump to do. Cambodia has appealed increasingly loudly to the international community but its leaders have also said they will defend their sovereignty.
Thailand said 21 of its troops have been killed in the latest clashes as well as several civilians. Cambodia has refused to disclose its military casualties but said that as of Thursday evening 18 civilians had been killed. Thai generals have estimated there have been more than 100 Cambodian military deaths. Hundreds of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border have fled their homes.
China has also been trying to mediate a halt to the fighting. On Wednesday the government said its Foreign Ministry's special envoy for Asian affairs would visit both Thailand and Cambodia on Thursday in a renewed bout of shuttle diplomacy.
"China is highly concerned about the current border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, and has been actively working to ease tensions and de-escalate the situation," the ministry said in a statement. "The Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will again travel to Cambodia and Thailand on December 18 to mediate and encourage both sides to meet each other halfway and rebuild peace as soon as possible."
There were no reports on Thursday as to how the envoy's mission had gone.
Kallas wrote on X on Wednesday evening that she had spoken to both the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers that day and said the conflict "must not be allowed to spiral further." "That's why the ceasefire needs to be immediately restored," she added. "I will continue to engage to help get out of the escalation cycle. The EU can offer satellite imagery for ceasefire monitoring."
Phoung Vantha and Danielle Keeton-Olsen are contributing writers