Thailand and Cambodia are neighboring countries in
Southeast Asia with a long common border and a history of
wars and disputes between them. The lastest border
dispute erupted into violence in October of 2008 and
April of 2009, as troops from both nations exchanged fire
over ownership of an ancient temple and the surrounding
In addition to the border dispute, the Thai government
expressed extreme displeasure when Cambodian Prime
Minister Hun Sen recently praised former Thai premier
Thaksin Shinawatra and offered a him a job. Hun Sen
appointed Thaksin, who convicted on corruption charges in
Thailand, as an economic advisor. Thaksin was overthrown
by the Thai military in a coup in 2006.
Clashes continued into 2011 as the two neighbors
continue their disagreement over whose territory the
Preah Vihear Temple belongs to. The religious and
historically important shrine, is a Hindu temple that
reflects the beliefs of the kings who ruled what was then
the Angkorean empire, is located on the top of a
1,722-foot cliff in the Dangrek Mountains, about 150
miles north of the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
2008--Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire
with each other on the disputed territory near the
Preah Vihear Temple. The fighting lasted for nearly
only a few minutes, leaving two Thai soldiers and one
Cambodian soldier wounded.
October 6, 2008-- Two
Thai soldiers were wounded by exploding landmines in
the border area after entering a little more than a
half mile into Cambodian territory.
October 14, 2008
--Cambodian and Thai forces opened fire on each
other in the border area, leaving three Cambodian
soldiers dead and two Cambodian and seven Thai
soldiers wounded. One wounded Thai soldier later died
of his wounds. The Cambodians claimed to have captured
13 Thai soldiers during the battle, but the Thais
2009--Fighting between Thai and Cambodian
forces left at least 3 Thai soldiers and 2 Cambodian
soldiers dead. Cambodia claimed 4 Thai soldiers were
killed, 6 wounded, and 10 captured. 2 Cambodian
soldiers were also reported killed in the border
2010--Fighting between Thai and Cambodian
forces left one Thai soldier dead.
April 16, 2010
Cambodia and Thai Forces opened fire on each other
near Cambodia's northwestern border in a clash which
lasted for a quarter of an hour,. There were no
reports of casualties in this incident.
2011--Fighting between Thai and Cambodian
forces result in deaths among both the Thai and
Cambodian military forces. Civilian deaths were also
reported. As of mid-day on February 5, firm numbers of
dead and wounded are not available, as both sides
report widely divergent numbers. It appears that total
deaths hover around ten.
sides fired mortar and artillery rounds across the
border. Cambodia reported that the Preah Vihear
Temple itself sustained damage from Thai artillery.
Feb. 7--Thai forces
attempted to recover casualties from the previous
day's fighting, and again, combat with Cambodian
forces resumed. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen
called the situation as a "big skirmish or a small
troops reinforced their positions around the
Feb. 9-- Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun Sen referred to the recent
fighting as a war, stating that "Thailand created
this war. [Thai Prime Minister] Abhisit
must be responsible for the war." Hun Sen also said
"This is a real war. It is not a clash."
2011--Thailand admitted using Dual-Purpose
Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) during the
earlier fighting. This class of weaponry is commonly
referred to as cluster munitions.
2011--Renewed clashes along the disputed border
erupted on April 22 and continued into the next day.
Initial reports from Thailand indicated that
casualties totalled eight dead and 32 wounded. The
renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia
involved rocket launchers and artillery. Cambodia
claimed that Thai aircraft overflew Cambodian
territory during the fighting, as well as claiming
Thailand was again using cluster muntions.
As of 4/28/2011, casualties in the April fighting
Thai military: 7 dead, 35 wounded
Thai civilians: 1 dead
Cambodian military: 8 killed, 17 wounded, one
The renewed fighting comes after several weeks of
peace, and a resumption of peace talks between
Thailand and Cambodia.
Cambodian Soldiers at
Preah Vihear Temple Feb. 5, 2011
Thai Soldiers heading
toward the Cambodian Border, April,
clash in disputed area along Thailand-Cambodia
border--CNN, April 23, 2011
continue on Thai-Cambodia border--Financial Times,
April 23, 2011
clashes 'damage Preah Vihear temple'--BBC, Feb. 6,
Cambodia Reach Ceasefire Agreement After Cross Border
Firing--Voice of America, Feb. 5, 2011
Cambodia troops clash again near temple, one
killed--Business Recorder, Feb. 5, 2011
Cambodia Border Fighting Breaks Out Amid
Tensions--Voice of America, Feb. 4, 2011
rattles Thailand's chain --Asia Times Online, Nov.
Tensions Rise Over Appointment of Fugitive Thai
Official --Voice of America, Nov. 6, 2009
Thai-Cambodian temple dispute lingers--Christian
Science Monitor, July 22, 2008