A Cambodian soldier was killed on Wednesday following a brief exchange of gunfire with Thai soldiers in a disputed border area between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, according to Cambodia’s defense ministry.
The incident occurred early Wednesday morning in a border region between Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province, both countries confirmed. Military officials from both sides have stated that their troops have since stood down and that they intend to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels.
Deadly clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces last occurred in 2011, sparked by a dispute over the Preah Vihear temple, an ancient Khmer temple complex that lies at the heart of a decades-long border disagreement. The border in this area remains undemarcated, contributing to ongoing tensions.
“Thai army first opened fire on a trench that had been a Cambodian army base for a long time, resulting in the loss of one of our soldiers,” Cambodia’s defense ministry said in a statement, presenting its account of the incident.
Thailand offered a different version of events, stating that its soldiers were attempting to negotiate with Cambodian troops to withdraw from a position in a disputed area when they came under fire. Thai army spokesman Major General Winthai Suvaree reported that there were no Thai casualties in the exchange.
“Cambodian forces misunderstood the situation and started using weapons, so Thai forces retaliated,” Winthai said, adding that the exchange of fire lasted approximately 10 minutes.
Despite the historic rivalry between the two countries, their governments currently maintain warm relations, due in part to the close relationship between their influential former leaders, Thailand’s Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia’s Hun Sen. The current prime ministers are also closely connected, with Thaksin’s daughter and Hun Sen’s son holding the respective leadership positions.
Earlier this month, security officials from both countries convened in Bangkok to address and de-escalate border tensions following a February incident. In that incident, a group of Cambodians, accompanied by troops, sang their national anthem at an ancient Hindu temple claimed by both sides before being stopped by Thai soldiers.
