Thailand Accuses Cambodia of Breaching Ceasefire Amid Fragile Calm on Disputed Border

Thailand has accused Cambodia of “deliberately” violating a fragile ceasefire agreed late Monday, following five days of heavy cross-border fighting that has left at least 33 people dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Despite a formal halt to hostilities taking effect at midnight, the Thai military claimed on Tuesday that gunfire from Cambodian forces continued “at multiple locations” along the volatile frontier into the early morning. Thailand insists its own troops ceased firing as agreed.

However, Cambodia’s defence ministry flatly denied any breach, telling AFP there had been “no armed clashes” since the truce came into effect.

In a tentative step toward de-escalation, local military commanders from both sides met on Tuesday as part of the ceasefire framework. They reportedly agreed to uphold the truce, halt frontline troop movements, and grant mutual access to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers.

The uneasy calm comes after days of artillery exchanges, rocket fire, and air strikes in one of Southeast Asia’s most intractable border disputes.

Tensions reignited in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish along the contested stretch of land, which both countries claim.

Last week, the crisis escalated after five Thai soldiers were wounded by a landmine, prompting Thailand to shut border crossings, expel Cambodia’s ambassador, and recall its own envoy from Phnom Penh.

The conflict reached a peak last Thursday when Cambodian forces launched multiple rocket attacks, killing several Thai civilians. Additional casualties followed on both sides in the ensuing days, forcing mass evacuations into temporary shelters.

As the ceasefire deadline approached late Monday, the violence surged, with Thailand reportedly launching airstrikes on Cambodian positions just hours before the truce was due to take hold.

While Tuesday’s relative calm offered a glimmer of hope, the continued exchange of accusations suggests the situation remains volatile.