Thailand-Cambodia conflict: Front lines expand across shared border

Thai military vehicles are pictured on a road in the Thai border province of Surin on 11 December amid continuing clashes along the Thai-Cambodia border. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP)

The Thailand-Cambodia conflict continued to intensify and spread on 12 December, the fifth day of renewed fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.

The Thai Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a press briefing that 18 front lines have emerged along the countries' shared border, stretching several hundred kilometres from Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast of the country to Sa Kaeo in the southeast, which is about 200 km from Bangkok. This new number of front lines represents an expansion on the front lines previously reported.

An MoD spokesperson said on 12 December that half of these 18 front lines represent locations where the fighting is ongoing. These conflict areas are largely concentrated around the border Thai provinces of Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Buriram.

The spokesperson added that two other border areas represent flashpoints where fighting is “ongoing but becoming under [Thai military] control” and in four other areas the Thai military had “put up some strongholds and set up observation posts to prevent Cambodian countermeasures”.

The spokesperson said that in three other border front lines the Thai military has “taken full control”. These areas included the towns of Sam Tae in Si Sa Ket; Nong Ya Kaeo in Sa Kaeo; and the villages of Chong Chom, Chong Pero, and Chong Rayi in Surin.