Escalating Tensions: Thailand Targets Cambodia's Poipet with Airstrikes

Fri Dec 19 2025 03:33:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A series of airstrikes by Thailand near the Poipet border crossing with Cambodia highlights a renewed escalation of hostilities between the two nations, sparking international concerns.

Thailand has conducted airstrikes targeting a logistics center near Poipet, Cambodia, amid ongoing border clashes that have reignited tensions between the two countries. The bombings are reported to have killed dozens, with thousands of Thai citizens stranded on the Cambodian side of the border. The situation continues to develop as both governments blame one another for the resurgence of violence.

Thailand has bombed a logistics centre near the Cambodian town of Poipet, which is a major casino hub and the largest land crossing between the two nations.

The airstrikes come amid ongoing border clashes that have shown no signs of de-escalation. According to Cambodia's defence ministry, Thai forces dropped two bombs, while the Thai military claimed they targeted a facility storing BM-21 rocket systems, asserting that no civilians were harmed.

The recent resurgence of fighting has resulted in at least 21 fatalities in Thailand and 17 in Cambodia, displacing approximately 800,000 people, according to officials.

A Cambodian defence ministry statement confirmed the bombings occurred on Thursday around 11:00 AM local time. Thai Air Force spokesman Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai stated that the military targeted a site outside Poipet used for storing BM-21 rockets, typically fired from armored vehicles.

This is the first recorded bombing in the Poipet region, known for its casinos frequented by Thai gamblers and for serving as a significant international border checkpoint.

On Tuesday, Thai officials reported that between 5,000 and 6,000 Thai nationals remain stranded in Poipet, following Cambodia's closure of land border crossings as a safety measure for civilians, while air travel options remain open for those wishing to evacuate.

The long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia escalated dramatically on 24 July, when Cambodian forces launched a rocket barrage into Thailand, followed by retaliatory airstrikes from the Thai side. An immediate and unconditional ceasefire was brokered by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim and then-US President Donald Trump, yet this ceasefire has since broken down.

The two nations have engaged in verbal exchanges of blame for reigniting hostilities, with airstrikes and artillery exchanges becoming commonplace. Recently, Cambodia accused Thai forces of also bombing Siem Reap province, known for housing the iconic Angkor temples, during the current conflict.