India issues travel advisory as border tensions btw Thailand and Cambodia escalates
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – The tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border intensified on Thursday after 3 Thai civilians were killed amid heavy cross-border fighting, as reported in media.
According to the Thai military, these are the first civilian fatalities since hostilities resumed earlier this week, after a breach in the fragile ceasefire.
Cambodia said Thailand initiated airstrikes along the border, the Thai Army has claimed that Cambodia launched an attack with artillery and mortars against Thai positions, to which it replied with the same kinds of heavy weapons.
Thai government maintained that the country would not initiate conflict but would defend its sovereignty. Officials stressed that Thailand “stands for peace but will not tolerate violations of its sovereignty,” in a statement issued earlier
Cambodia has sharply criticized Thailand for what it described as intensified attacks deep inside its borders. According to Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior,
Thailand’s shelling and F-16 air strikes have caused widespread damage.
The ministry stated that Thailand is “targeting villages and civilian population centres up to 30km inside Cambodian territory,” damaging homes, schools, roads, Buddhist pagodas and ancient temples.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry has urged Thailand to immediately stop its hostile activities and withdraw its forces from Cambodia’s territorial integrity, and avoid acts of aggression that threaten peace and stability in the region.
The week of confrontation marks the deadliest since the five-day conflict in July, which killed dozens and displaced around 300,000 people across both sides of the border before a tenuous truce was brokered with intervention from US President Donald Trump.
US President Donald Trump is likely to talk to the leaders of the two countries to reinforce the ceasefire. He said, “In 10 months, I ended eight wars, including Kosovo-Serbia, Pakistan and India. They were going at it. Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. Armenia and Azerbaijan. I hate to say this, Cambodia and Thailand started up today. Tomorrow I have to make a phone call…I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia. They’re going at it again. But I’ll do it. So, we’re making peace through strength…”
India’s Embassy in Bangkok issued a precautionary advisory for travelers.
In a post on X, the embassy said, “In view of the situation near the Thailand-Cambodia border, Indian travellers who plan to visit these areas are advised to check updates from Thai official sources, including TAT Newsroom.”
The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier stated on December 8 that it was closely monitoring developments in both countries, expressed hope that both sides would exercise restraint and cease hostilities. India urged Thailand and Cambodia to return to dialogue and work toward restoring peace.
