The Cambodian–Thai border dispute began in June 2008 as part of a century-long dispute between
Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
and
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
involving the area surrounding the 11th-century
Preah Vihear Temple, in the
Dângrêk Mountains between
Choam Khsant District,
Preah Vihear Province of northern Cambodia and the
Kantharalak District,
Sisaket Province of
northeastern Thailand
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thailand. Isan is T ...
.
According to the Cambodian ambassador to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, the most recent dispute began on 15 July 2008 when about 50 Thai soldiers moved into the Keo Sikhakirisvara Pagoda vicinity which he claimed was located in Cambodia's territory about from the Temple of Preah Vihear.
Thailand claimed the demarcation had not yet been completed for the external parts of the area adjacent to the temple, which was adjudged to be Cambodian by a nine to three decision of the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
(ICJ) in 1962.
[''The Nation Newspaper''. August 5, 2008. VOLUME 33 NO 51950]
By August 2008, the dispute had expanded to the 13th century
Ta Moan temple complex west of Preah Vihear (), where Cambodia has accused Thai troops of occupying a temple complex it claims is on Cambodian land. The
Thai foreign ministry denied that any troops had moved into that area until several were killed in an encounter in April 2011.
An agreement was reached in December 2011 to withdraw troops from the disputed area.
On 11 November 2013, the ICJ declared in a unanimous decision that the 1962 ICJ judgment had awarded all of the
promontory
A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the s ...
of Preah Vihear to Cambodia and that Thailand had an obligation to withdraw any Thai military, police, or guard forces stationed in that area.
However, it rejected Cambodia's argument that the judgment had also awarded the hill of Phnom Trap (three kilometers northwest of the temple) to Cambodia, finding that it had made no ruling on sovereignty over the hill.
Background
The Preah Vihear temple area has been the subject of debate within Cambodia and Thailand since the late 19th century.
The temple complex was built during the 9th and 10th centuries AD under the auspices of the
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was an empire in Southeast Asia, centered on Hydraulic empire, hydraulic cities in what is now northern Cambodia. Known as Kambuja (; ) by its inhabitants, it grew out of the former civilization of Chenla and lasted from 802 t ...
. As the empire reached its zenith and began a
slow decline, the
Ayutthaya Kingdom
The Ayutthaya Kingdom or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a Thai people, Thai kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city), Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. Europe ...
began to grow into the modern state of Thailand.
Siam
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
and Vietnam
expanded into Cambodian territory in turn during the Ayutthaya,
Thonburi
__NOTOC__
Thonburi () is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which is ref ...
, and
Rattanakosin eras.
The
Franco-Siamese treaty of 1867 forced Siam to renounce
suzerainty
A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy">polity.html" ;"title="state (polity)">state or polity">state (polity)">st ...
over Cambodia, with the exception of
Battambang
Battambang (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang province and the List of cities and towns in Cambodia, third largest city in Cambodia. The city is situated on the Sangkae River, which winds its way through t ...
,
Siem Reap
Siem Reap (, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia.
Siem Reap possesses French-colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter ...
,
Banteay Meanchey, and
Oddar Meancheay Provinces,
[Prasat Phra Viharn – Case study of political history – Nationalism](_blank)
, ''Page 5 of 15'' which had been officially incorporated into the Kingdom of Siam. During the 1904 state visit of
King Rama V to France, Siam agreed to cede the four provinces to France in exchange for regaining Thai sovereignty over
Trat Province and
Amphoe Dan Sai of
Loei Province, which had been occupied by France.
In 1907, the Thai-Cambodian border was mapped by the French on behalf of a bilateral border commission. According to the 1904 agreement, the border would follow the natural watershed between the countries. However, the resulting map deviated by showing Preah Vihear Temple as being in Cambodia, even though it is on the Thai side of the watershed. Thailand accepted the map for official use. The Thais discovered the error when they made their own survey in the 1930s, but the ICJ ruled that they had waited too long to protest and lost the temple by "acquiescence".
Immediately prior to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the Thai government attempted to negotiate an adjustment of the border with
French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...
. However, this came to an end with the
French surrender in 1940 to
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
. The government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram then pressed the colonial government of French Indochina for the return of
territory Thailand had lost in the 1904 and 1907 exchanges:
Battambang Province of Thailand (modern day
Battambang Province and
Pailin municipality, Cambodia),
Phibunsongkhram Province (modern day
Siem Reap Province,
Oddar Meancheay Province, and
Banteay Meanchey Province
Banteay Meanchey (, , ) is a Provinces of Cambodia, province of Cambodia located in the far northwest. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey province, Oddar Meanchey to the north, Siem Reap province, Siem Reap to the east, Battambang provi ...
Cambodia),
Nakhon Champa Sak Province (modern day
Champassack Province, Laos,
Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia), and Saiyaburi Province of Laos (modern day
Xaignabouli Province, Laos); ''(
See map below) ''
The French colonial government refused to comply and fighting broke out along the border. In December 1940, Phibunsongkhram ordered an outright invasion of French Indochina, starting the
French-Thai War. The Thai army and air force was better equipped and had the advantage of numbers against the
Colonial French forces. They pushed back the French Foreign Legion and French colonial troops with little difficulty.
The more modern French Navy caught the Thai fleet by surprise and won a decisive victory in the
Battle of Koh Chang. Imperial Japan intervened to mediate the conflict, concerned that the conflict would affect their own plans for Southeast Asia.
[''Important events during the reign of King Rama VIII'' – Bangkok; E.Q. Plus adventure series, 2008. 160 pages. ] A general
armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
was declared on 28 January 1941. On 9 May a peace treaty was signed in Tokyo, the French being coerced by the Japanese into relinquishing their claim on the territories demanded by Thailand.

On 7 December 1941, a few hours before the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
, Japan demanded the right to move troops across Thailand to the Malayan frontier. Before the Thais could respond, the
Japanese Invasion of Thailand began across the Cambodian border and at seven points along the sea coast. The Thai forces resisted, but were soon beaten by the Japanese. After only six or seven hours, Prime Minister
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Plaek Phibunsongkhram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the third prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. He rose to power as a leading member of the Kh ...
arrived in Bangkok and ordered an immediate ceasefire.
Japan was reluctantly granted free passage, and after Japan's easy conquest of
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, Phibunsongkhram signed a military alliance with Japan on 21 December 1941. It contained a secret protocol in which Tokyo agreed to help Thailand regain the territories it had lost to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and
French colonial powers. In exchange, Thailand promised to assist Japan in its war against the Allies.

After the end of the war, Prime Minister
Pridi Phanomyong
Pridi Banomyong (, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Thai_nobility#Noble_titles, Luang Praditmanutham (), was a Thai lawyer, professor, activist, politician, and senior statesman. He served in multiple ministerial p ...
agreed to return the "liberated" territories to France, in return for him and Thailand not being regarded as an aggressor nor a member of the
Axis powers
The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...
. He also requested admission to the newly created United Nations. Initially, both UK and the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
regarded Thailand as an aggressor, despite its active anti-Japanese underground movement. The United States intervened in gratitude to the
Free Thai Movement and prevailed on its wartime allies to agree.
With
Cambodian Independence and the French withdrawal in 1953, the Thai military occupied Preah Vihear Temple in 1954 in keeping with the border line of the natural watershed. The temple had been built facing north to serve the plains above it, not those of the Cambodian plain far below. However, based on the 1907 French map, Cambodia protested, insisting that it was inside their territory. Both countries finally agreed to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice and abide by its decision.
In 1962, the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded ownership of Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia by a nine to three vote, stating the 1907 map clearly showed Preah Vihear as being in Cambodia. Nevertheless, the court had only ruled that the temple belong to Cambodia, and did not comment on the adjacent land to the north. Thailand reluctantly handed over the temple but continues to claim the surrounding area, insisting the border has never officially been demarcated here.
The ownership dispute revived in recent years when Cambodia submitted an application to
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
requesting that Preah Vihear be designated as a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. Thailand contended the application requested the designation include the land surrounding the temple, which Thailand still considers its territory. In the interest of cross-border relations Cambodia withdrew the application, and after winning support from Thailand, submitted a modified map requesting the designation only for the temple itself.
The
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...
(PAD), a right wing Thai protest group, turned the temple into a
cause célèbre
A ( , ; pl. ''causes célèbres'', pronounced like the singular) is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning, and heated public debate. The term is sometimes used positively for celebrated legal cases for th ...
wedge issue in its battles against the
People Power Party government of Prime Minister
Samak Sundaravej in their attempts to unseat the former and current
Cabinet of Thailand
The cabinet of Thailand (formally, the Council of Ministers of Thailand; ; is a body composed of thirty-five of the most senior members of the government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The Cabinet (government), cabinet is the primary organ of the ...
.
In 2006 PAD-led street protests led first to the Thai general election of April 2006, largely boycotted by the opposition and won by then-incumbent Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra (, ; born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician who was the 23rd prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. Since 2009 he has also been a citizen of Montenegro.
Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator A ...
's
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT; , , ; "Thais Love Thais Party") was a list of political parties in Thailand, Thai political party founded in 1998. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under its founder, Prime Minister of Thailand, Prime Mini ...
Party. This was followed by
the military coup of September 2006, which ousted Thaksin, the caretaker prime minister. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was viewed as a proxy for the self-exiled Thaksin Shinawatra, who was living abroad to avoid conviction for corruption.
Across the border, the
Cambodian People's Party (CPP) government of Prime Minister
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
used the possibly coincidental timing of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
's annual meeting and the listing of the temple as a
World Heritage
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
site in campaigning for the
27 July 2008 parliamentary election.
The old
Khmer legend of Preah Ko Preak Keo has been referred to in this context by Cambodian politicians to illustrate the difficult ties that the country has with neighbouring Thailand.
Timeline
Lead-up to 2008 fighting
*January 2008
**In January 2008, the
Thai Defense Ministry from the 56th Cabinet of Thailand protested Cambodia's attempt to register the temple as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
without agreement from Thailand.
*March 2008
**In March 2008, Cambodia informed Thailand of their plan to register
Preah Vihear Temple as a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
.
*April 2008
**In April 2008, Thailand (the 57th cabinet) and Cambodia planned to discuss the issue before the registration. Thailand insisted that it would support the registration of the temple, but that the process "must not affect the disputed borderline".
*June 2008
**On June 18, 2008, Thailand and Cambodia issued a joint communique regarding the temple registration.
** On June 20, 2008
the ''Nation'' newspaper in Bangkok published an editorial online highly critical of the
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...
for its use of Preah Vihear temple in its campaign against the
People Power Party government of Prime Minister
Samak Sundaravej.
**On June 22, 2008, Cambodia closed the border crossing to Preah Vihear in response to Thai protests held at the border crossing. The protests were championed by an anti-Thaksin opposition figure,
Sonthi Limthongkul, who claimed the government of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sudaravej had gained business concessions in Cambodia in return for ceding Thai territory to Cambodia when negotiating over the Preah Vihear site map that would be presented to UNESCO in
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada.
*July 2008
**On July 2, 2008, as UNESCO began its annual meeting in
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada,
the ''Bangkok Post'' online published a
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (abbreviated as dpa; ) is a German news agency founded in 1949. Based in Hamburg, it has grown to be a major worldwide operation serving print media, radio, television, online, mobile phones, and national news agen ...
(German Press Agency) report that erroneously stated that Preah Vihear partially sits on Thai territory. Following the Thai government's decision to support Cambodia's bid for World Heritage listing, anti-Thaksin Shinawatra opposition figures mounted a legal challenge against Thai Foreign Minister
Noppadon Pattama.
*** The Thai Constitutional Court finally upheld the suit on July 7, 2008 in an eight to one judgment that the foreign minister's joint communique with Cambodia was "unconstitutional". Whilst UNESCO met in Quebec, Canada, there were about 20 Thai people standing and protesting outside holding sign "Noppadon, you are a LIAR" and Thai flags.
** On July 8, 2008, thousands of Phnom Penh residents marched through the streets in celebration of the inscription of Preah Vihear temple by UNESCO. On the same day, the Municipality of Phnom Penh held an evening outdoor concert at
Wat Phnom
Wat Phnom (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: , Romanization of Khmer#ALA-LC Romanization Tables, ALA-LC: ; "Mountain Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple (wat) in Doun Penh section, Doun Penh, Phnom Penh. The site features a pagoda, a stupa symbo ...
to celebrate the inscription of Preah Vihear temple by UNESCO earlier in the day. The concert was nationally broadcast on
CTN, emceed by Cambodia's biggest television star and featured traditional Khmer performances as well as a fireworks display. Despite persistent rain, thousands of Cambodians attended.
** On July 10, 2008, Thai Foreign Minister
Noppadon Pattama resigned over the listing of Preah Vihear by UNESCO. His resignation followed the eight to one judgment by the Thai Constitutional Court that he had violated Article 190 of Thailand's 2007 Constitution, which calls for a public debate and cabinet-level approval before such authorization can take place.
** On July 14, 2008, 8,000 Cambodians filled
Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena for a concert hosted by Deputy Prime Minister
Sok An
Sok An (; 16 April 1950 – 15 March 2017) was a Cambodian academic and politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Takéo in 1993, then assumed additional roles of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Office of the Council of ...
and simulcast on
Bayon Television. Sok An had just returned from UNESCO's annual conference in Quebec, Canada, where Preah Vihear was inscribed as a World Heritage site.
** On July 15, 2008, cross-border tensions flared after Cambodian authorities arrested three Thai nationals who had attempted to plant the Thai flag near the temple. Cambodia claimed that several dozen Thai soldiers subsequently crossed the border. One Thai soldier lost his leg to a Cambodian landmine detonation.
*** Thailand maintains its troops are deployed to protect its sovereignty and ensure that any protests by Thais near the temple remain orderly, although a senior Thai military official acknowledged that his troops were on "disputed" ground.
** On July 16, 2008, Thailand increased the number of troops stationed in the border region adjacent to Preah Vihear temple.
** On July 17, 2008, the total number of troops at the temple increased to over 1,000, with some of the 400 Thai troops in the area occupying a Buddhist pagoda near the temple and claimed by Cambodia. Thai forces denied they were inside Cambodian territory.
*** In a letter to the Thai Prime Minister, Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
called for the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops and protesters from the area.
** On July 18, 2008, the Thai government handed Cambodia a letter from Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej insisting Thai troops are deployed on Thai soil. In a letter to Hun Sen, the Thai PM said Cambodian troops and buildings on the disputed area were a "violation of Thailand's sovereignty and territorial integrity", but that his government was "resolved to seek a just and peaceful solution to the situation."
** On July 19, 2008, the Thai and Cambodian governments sent more troops and heavy guns to the disputed border ahead of high-level talks scheduled for July 21, 2008 between the Cambodian defence minister and Thailand's supreme military commander.
** On July 21, 2008, Cambodian Defence Minister
Tea Ban and Thai Army commander
Boonsrang Niempradit held talks in Thailand. The talks achieved no outcome.
** On July 22, 2008, Thailand rejected the assistance of ASEAN in resolving the border dispute. Thailand's statement came as ASEAN foreign ministers began a meeting in Singapore. The BBC reported that Cambodia had requested UN assistance in resolving the border dispute. The previous week the Cambodian government denied it had made such a call after similar news stories were published.
** On July 23, 2008, a spokesman for Cambodia's prime minister suggested that Cambodia may take the case to the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
, as was done in 1962.
** On July 24, 2008, Cambodia announced it would postpone its request to the United Nations until the bilateral negotiation at
Siem Reap
Siem Reap (, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia.
Siem Reap possesses French-colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter ...
on July 28, 2008 was finished.
*** Cambodia and Thailand held the meeting on 28 July 2008 without any results.
*** Reportedly, both sides are in favour of a troop withdrawal, beginning with Thailand's army; the date when Thailand would withdraw its troops was not agreed on, however.
*August 2008
**On August 1, 2008,
Bun Rany, wife of Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
, conducted a Buddhist ritual at the temple; thousands of Cambodians also joined the ritual. On the same night, the Thai anti-Thaksin and anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) led thousands of their supporters in a rival ritual, by praying
Suttas that the
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),*
*
*
was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...
gave to his monks; they claimed this was to prevent any negative effects from the Cambodian ritual. Many Thais accused Bun Rany of conducting black magic aimed to weaken Thailand.
**On August 1, 2008, ''
The Nation (Thailand)
''The Nation'' is an English-language daily online newspaper founded in 1971, published in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of two English-language dailies in Bangkok, the other being the ''Bangkok Post''. On 28 June 2019, it published its final bro ...
'' newspaper in Thailand published an editorial criticizing Cambodia for calling on the international community to help resolve the Preah Vihear stand-off.
** On August 3, 2008, Cambodia claimed that Thailand occupied a second Angkorian-era temple complex, Ta Moan Thom and Ta Moan Touch, at on the border of
Oddar Meanchey Province.
** On August 5, 2008, Kriengkrai Sampatchalit,
Thailand's Fine Arts Department director replied to Cambodia, claiming that "The Prasat Ta Moan Thom Temple is located just about from the border on Thai soil."
*** According to the Thai authorities, the Ta Moan Thom complex is in Thai territory as evidenced by the Fine Arts Department's registration of the ancient ruin as a Thailand national archaeological site 73 years ago in 1935, despite the ruin being south of the border's watershed ridgeline.
***
Tharit Charungvat, Thailand ministry's chief spokesman said, "Thailand has not boosted the number of its troops
n Ta Moan Thom Temple"
*** Thai army chief
Anupong Paochinda said Thai troops would remain at Ta Moan Thom because the temple is in Thailand.
** On August 7, 2008,
ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
reported that both Thailand and Cambodia have withdrawn their troops from the Ta Moan Thom temple area to their original bases, according to AFP (
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse (; AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.
With 2,400 employees of 100 nationalities, AFP has an editorial presence in 260 c ...
).
*** Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej reportedly is expected to visit the area near the Preah Vihear Temple, but not the temple itself, according to Cambodian sources. Cambodia and Thailand will hold a second foreign ministers' meeting in Thailand on 18 August 2008 to seek a peaceful solution to the 25-day-long military standoff over the border dispute.
** On August 14, 2008, both nations' militaries agreed to reduce troop levels at Preah Vihear Temple prior to a meeting between their foreign ministers.
*September 2008
**In September 2008, Cambodia accused Thailand of sending troops to occupy the Ta Moan Thom and Ta Kwai temples. Thailand responded that the temples belong to them and are part of Surin province and that The Thai Fine Arts Department have done a registration of the ancient ruins since 1935.
Military Clashes
2008
= October
=
* On October 3, 2008, Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire with each other on the disputed territory near the Preah Vihear Temple. The fighting lasted for nearly three minutes, wounding two Thai soldiers and one Cambodian soldier.
* On October 4, 2008, commanders of the two countries met at their disputed border area amid accusations that each side had caused a border skirmish on the previous day. Hosted by the Cambodian commander in the area
Srey Dek and his Thai counterpart Colonel
Chayan Huaysoongnern, the two sides called for the situation to return to normal.
* On October 6, 2008, two Thai soldiers were wounded by landmines in the border area after allegedly wandering into Cambodian territory.
* On October 13, 2008, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, issued an ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw troops from a disputed border area by noon Tuesday, October 14, 2008. Hun Sen said Thai troops had advanced on a border area called Veal Intry (Eagle Field) near the temple in an attempt to occupy Cambodian land near Preah Vihear. "They must withdraw," he said. Thailand's Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, said he had ordered the army to "take care of the situation so there is no violence." "We do not object to redeployment so there is no confrontation," Somchai told reporters, adding that he was not aware of Hun Sen's deadline.
* On October 14, 2008 in a televised interview, People's Alliance for Democracy leader (and future Foreign Minister) Kasit Piromya called Hun Sen "crazy", a "slave", and a "nak leng" (commonly translated as "gangster").
[Chachavalpongpun, Pavin, "Glorifying the Inglorious Past: Historical Overhangs in Thai-Cambodian Relations", paper presented at Historical Overhangs in East Asian International Relations Workshop, Jeju Peace Institute, April 21–22, 2010]
* On October 15, 2008, Cambodian and Thai forces opened fire on each other once again in the border area. Three Cambodian soldiers were killed and two wounded. Seven Thai soldiers were wounded, one of whom died of his injuries a week later. The Cambodians claimed to have captured 10 Thai soldiers during the battle, but the Thais denied this. Still, Reuters published photos of the soldiers being held by Cambodian troops. Although commanders from both sides were trying to negotiate a ceasefire, Thailand urged Thai nationals to leave Cambodia.
* On October 18, 2008, a Thai soldier was accidentally killed by his own weapon at Phu Ma Khua.
= November–December
=
* From November 25 to December 3, 2008, the People's Alliance for Democracy executed "Operation Hiroshima": the seizure of
Suvarnabhumi Airport. During occupation of the airport, PAD leader Kasit Piromya gave a speech in which he said "I will use Hun Sen's blood to wash my feet," recalling the historic incident where King
Naresuan
Naresuan (1555/1556 – 25 April 1605), commonly known as Naresuan the Great, or Sanphet II was the 18th Monarchy of Thailand, king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and 2nd monarch of the List of monarchs of Thailand#Sukhothai dynasty (1569–1629), S ...
of Siam did the same to King
Lovek of Cambodia.
The siege ended when the constitutional court dissolved the government of Somchai Wongsawat, resulting in the rise to power of Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister and Kasit as
foreign minister
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
.
2009
= April
=
* On April 2, 2009, a Thai soldier stepped on a mine and lost his leg in the border area.
* On April 3, 2009, fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces left at least three Thai soldiers and two Cambodian soldiers dead; another five Thai soldiers were wounded. Just days before this clash, Cambodian officials said that up to 100 Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodian territory and did not leave until Cambodian soldiers showed up and asked them to leave. The Royal Thai Army denied the claim and said that Thai soldiers had not gone anywhere they were not permitted to be. Cambodia's Prime Minister
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
then warned Thailand for the second time that if they (Thai soldiers) cross again, Thai soldiers would face fighting again with Cambodian soldiers. He said, "I tell you first, if you enter (Cambodian territory) again, we will fight. The troops at the border have already received the order."
2010
= January
=
* On January 24, 2010, Cambodian and Thai forces opened fire on each again in the border area. As Thai Rangers shouted at Cambodian soldiers asking their purpose in crossing over to the area, the Cambodian soldiers fired
M79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40 mm grenade, 40×46mm grenade, which uses what the US Army calls the High-Low System, High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and ...
s and automatic rifles at them, Col. Nut said, which left two Thai soldiers wounded.
* On January 25, 2010, Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged gunfire twice on Sunday morning at the contested border near Preah Vihear temple. The Cambodians subsequently fired eight
RPG
RPG may refer to:
Military
* Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon
**''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade laun ...
(B-40) rockets into Thai territory.
* On January 30, 2010, soldiers from the two countries exchanged fire for two or three minutes on Friday evening.
* On January 31, 2010, a Thai soldier was killed in clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces in the disputed border area troops from the two sides fought for about 15 minutes late Friday after about 20 Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodian territory and refused to leave when confronted by Cambodian soldiers. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Chhum Socheat said one Thai soldier was killed, with Cambodian troops firing
AK-47
The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kala ...
assault rifles and
B-40 rocket propelled grenades.
= April
=
* On April 16, 2010 Cambodian and Thai forces opened fire along their border about west of Preah Vihear. The clash lasted for about 15 minutes, but there were no reports of casualties. Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat was reported as saying that "
..While our troops were patrolling the border, the Thai soldiers opened fire at them. So our troops fired back."
He added that troops from both sides fired rockets and grenades as well as rifles, but calm returned after a meeting between Cambodian and Thai military commanders in the area.
The Thai military confirmed the shoot-out. "It was a misunderstanding and nobody was injured in the clash," said a Thai Army officer who asked not to be named.
2011
= February
=
* On February 4, 2011, a skirmish in a gray zone in the overlap of Thailand and Cambodia territory called Phu Makua Hill started with an exchange of fire from 15:15 to 18:00 (GMT+7). Later, a ceasefire was called by local forces. One Thai civilian in Ban Phumsrol village of
Sisaket Province's
Kantharalak district died instantaneously and seven or more buildings, including Phum Srol School, were hit by Cambodian artillery rounds. Three houses were set ablaze. The Cambodian government claimed 16–33 Thai soldiers were killed, 26 wounded, and four captured, with two tanks destroyed. Thai news stations reported 64 Cambodian soldiers were killed and two tanks, 16 armoured vehicles, six artillery guns, and four multiple launch rocket systems were destroyed.
Independent sources confirmed that three Cambodians, including two soldiers, and a Thai villager were killed;
also 10 Cambodian and eight Thai soldiers were wounded and four Thai soldiers were captured.
* On February 5, 2011, both sides exchanged fire again, starting from 06:25 (GMT+7) in three skirmishes at Chongdon-awn. The Thai army confirmed one Thai sergeant was killed by shrapnel and four soldiers wounded in the clash. In the afternoon, both sides signed a ceasefire with four conditions: 1. stop firing; 2. don't increase troop strength at the site; 3. do not cause an accident; 4. more communication.
* On February 6, 2011, despite signing a ceasefire earlier that day, renewed clashes occurred in the evening. According to reports, the fighting extended over from Phum Srol village to Phu Makhua mountain. At 08:17, Cambodian troops opened fire at Thai military personnel stationed at Phu Ma Khua and Phlan Yao as well as villagers in Thai territory using rocket propelled grenades. Several Thai villagers were reportedly injured. Baan Phum Srol school director Boonruam Pongsaphan stated that "I believe that this is no longer a misunderstanding. This is war because the Cambodian side is firing into residential areas, not military zones". Thousands of villagers from Kantharalak were evacuated. Cambodia claimed that more than 20 Thai soldiers died in the clashes.
In the evening, Thai troops reportedly attacked Cambodian lines by trying to cross into Cambodia's territory despite the earlier cease fire agreement. There were reports that Cambodian troops captured Don Tuan temple that is over from the previous clash sites and Don Tuan temple is in Thai territory. It was reported that the heavy shelling of Preah Vihear Temple by Thai forces has caused part of it to collapse. Since the start of the fighting, Cambodian troops had been entrenched in the 900-year-old ruins of the temple in a camp made up of several bunkers. They had been positioned high on a ridge with a commanding view of the Cambodian plains, but highly vulnerable to fire from Thai positions just a few hundred metres away.
* On February 7, 2011, around two in the morning, the artillery fire finally stopped. However, sporadic fighting resumed later in the morning, after Thai troops attempted an operation to recover casualties from the previous day's heavy fighting.
Clashes ceased again at 11:00. Both sides blamed each other for the incident. Cambodian civilians living near the contested area were evacuated by Cambodian authorities. The
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...
called for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down. Cambodia called for a UN Buffer Zone at the Thai border. Later that day, independent sources stated the toll for the previous three days of fighting to be 10 killed: one soldier and one civilian from Thailand and four soldiers and four civilians from Cambodia.
34 Thais (30 soldiers and four civilians) and 45 Cambodians (soldiers and civilians) were wounded.
The four captured Thai soldiers were released.
* On February 8, 2011, there were no reported shooting incidents. However, Cambodian troops reportedly used the fragile ceasefire to dig new positions and to set up sandbags. A Thai soldier, who was severely wounded during the shellings on February 6, 2011, died of his wounds at Sapphasithiprasong Hospital.
* On February 9, 2011, Hun Sen officially called the recent clashes a war, stating that "Thailand created this war.
hai Prime MinisterAbhisit must be responsible for the war" and "Our war with Thailand will be taking long time". He also made it clear that there would be no more talks without a third party, stating that "There will be no more bilateral talks, and all negotiations will be participated by the third party
ic" In a later statement, he said "This is a real war. It is not a clash". Hundreds of Cambodian troops camped near the battleground, effectively strengthening their hold on the temple.
* On February 15, 2011, a new skirmish occurred. The shooting incident lasted for a few minutes. Although local media reported that five Thai soldiers were wounded, the army stated that only one soldier was injured during the fighting.
* On February 16, 2011, the clashes intensified. During the day, three clashes occurred (05:00, 20:00, and 22:00), but there were no reported casualties on either side. Thai army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd stated that the Cambodians started it all with the use of mortars and rocket-propelled-grenades, forcing the Thais to retaliate. However, Phay Siphan, a spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, denies his country's troops fired first. He said Thai soldiers attacked first. Both sides blame the other for starting the fighting. Cambodia wants international help to prevent further fighting, while Thailand says the issue should be resolved bilaterally. The same day, unconfirmed reports claimed that Vietnamese tanks were moving towards the Cambodian–Thai border. However,
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
strongly denied it.
*In an agreement reached at a meeting of
ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
in
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to allow Indonesian observers to monitor disputed border territory by up to 40 military and civilian observers. "This is an observer team, not a peacekeeping or peace enforcement team. The observer team will be unarmed," Indonesian Foreign Minister
Marty Natalegawa
Raden Mohammad Marty Muliana Natalegawa (born 22 March 1963 in Bandung, West Java), is an Indonesian diplomat and was the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet. He served as Indonesia's Permanent Representative ...
said.
= April
=
* On April 7, 2011, Thailand admitted using
Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) during the clash, which has been identified by the
Cluster Munition Coalition
The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is an international civil society movement, which campaigns against the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of cluster munitions. Cluster munitions, a type of munition stockpiled by more than 80 states ...
(CMC) as a type of
cluster munition
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy veh ...
.
[ ] These contain up to hundreds of small grenades or "bomblets" that scatter over vast areas, and are banned by the majority of countries under the
Convention on Cluster Munitions. Thailand has not signed the pact, but has publicly pledged not to use such weapons.
[Cambodia says fighting resumes along Thai border](_blank)
, ''KPLC TV''. The CMC said this was the first confirmed use of cluster munitions since the convention became international law.
* On 22 April 22, 2011, a five-hour clash erupted along the border between Phanom Dong Rak District of
Surin Province
Surin (, ; , ; ) is one of Thailand's seventy-seven Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat''). It lies in Isan#Administrative divisions, lower northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Burira ...
, Thailand and the
Banteay Ampil District of
Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia at the Ta Moan temple complex west of Preah Vihear and at
Ta Krabey temple complex east of Ta Moan, with reports that both sides used rocket launchers, machine guns, and rifles. According to the Thai army, the fighting erupted after dawn and continued for over half an hour. Four Thai and three Cambodian soldiers were reported killed and eight Thai and six Cambodian soldiers were reported wounded.
* On 23 April 23, 2011, the fighting with mostly long-distance shelling resumed about 06:00 and halted by noon. A Cambodian defence ministry statement accused Thai aircraft of entering Cambodian airspace. The statement also said Thai forces had fired 75- and 105-mm shells loaded with
poisonous gas into Cambodia's territory, an allegation that could not be independently verified and that Thailand rejected. A Cambodian field commander claimed that the "poison smoke" caused several soldiers who inhaled it to lose strength in their arms and legs. Col. Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, said that six rounds of cluster shells had landed in villages about inside Cambodia, but caused no casualties since residents had already been evacuated. Col. Tawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thailand's 2nd Army Region, denied absolutely that cluster bombs or poison gas had been employed. Tawatchai said one Thai soldier died, bringing the two-day casualty toll to four dead and 17 wounded, and that 15,000 civilians had been evacuated from the area of fighting. Cambodia's Suos Sothea said three soldiers from his country had been killed, bringing Cambodia's two-day death toll to six.
According to vice-president of the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, Mr
Nhim Vanda, roughly 5,000 residents had been evacuated to a safe shelter in the
Samrong district of
Banteay Meanchey Province, some from the fighting zone.
*On April 25, 2011, the fighting continued, after an almost full-day break.
*On April 26, 2011, the fighting resumed for a fifth day. The fighting had now spread to a nearby temple. By this point, five Thai soldiers were killed and more than 35 wounded, and eight Cambodian soldiers were killed, 17 were wounded and one was missing.
*On April 27, 2011, a Thai civilian was reported to had been killed in the fighting.
*On April 28, 2011, two more Thai soldiers were confirmed killed in the fighting. The same day, Thailand and Cambodia agreed upon a ceasefire. Cambodian spokesman Phay Siphan said that ''"We will abide by the ceasefire from now on and local commanders will meet regularly to avoid misunderstanding"''.
*On April 29, 2011, the ceasefire was broken, as one Thai soldier was confirmed killed in the fighting. A Thai military spokesmen said 11 Thai soldiers were hurt in the clashes with a total of 58 soldiers wounded since the start of the fighting.
*On April 30, 2011, the fighting resumed for a ninth day. However, there were no casualties.
= May
=
* On May 1, 2011, a Cambodian soldier was killed. The death toll had reached 17, including: nine Cambodian and seven Thai soldiers and one Thai civilian. Ninety-five Thais, including 50 soldiers, and 18 Cambodian servicemen had been wounded since the start of the fighting. According to Thai army spokesman Col. Prawit Hukaew, the two sides had engaged each other with automatic weapons overnight Sunday. According to Thailand, no Thai troops was killed in the clashes. In the afternoon, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense issued a statement which condemned Thailand for ten straight days of armed conflict; ''"The repeated invasions of Thai troops into Cambodia have caused gradual damage to Cambodia, it is an unacceptable act"''.
* On May 2, 2011, the two sides engaged each other with automatic fire, but no casualties was reported. Cambodia also filed a case at the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
on that day.
* On May 3, 2011, a Thai soldier was killed during skirmish in Surin, bringing the death toll on the Thai side to 12. Cambodia claimed Thailand had fired 50,000 shells during the clashes.
* On May 4, 2011, a ceasefire was agreed upon, and the border was re-opened for trade.
* On May 5, 2011, Thai Prime Minister
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva (; , , ; born 3 August 1964) is a Thai politician who was the 27th prime minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011. He was the leader of the Democrat Party from 2005 until he resigned following the party's weak performance in t ...
made it clear that he would not allow any international troops at Preah Vihear, unless Cambodia withdrew its forces from the disputed territory. He claimed the presence of troops in the area was a violation of the 2000 memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia.
* On May 7, 2011, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to appoint
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
as observers at the disputed border.
= July
=
*Following a request from Cambodia to order Thai troops out of the area, the judges of the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
, by a vote of 11–5, ordered both countries to immediately to withdraw their military forces from disputed areas straddling their border and imposed restrictions on both their armies and police forces. A "provisional demilitarized zone" would make Thai troops leave positions they have long occupied and Cambodia's to leave the temple's immediate vicinity. The court also called for officers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be allowed into the area to observe the cease-fire as called for by the UN Security Council last February.
*Both sides said they were satisfied with the decision. Thai Foreign Minister Kasit, speaking outside the court, said that a withdrawal of armed Cambodians from the temple complex "has been our consistent position." Further noting that the decision is binding on both countries, he added that Thailand would withdraw its forces and facilitate the observers' deployment, and further agreed to allow unhindered supplies to Cambodian civilian personnel at the temple complex.
*
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said a demilitarised zone would mean "a permanent ceasefire...tantamount to a cessation of aggression" by Thailand. He also said he was satisfied with the dispatch of truce observers, which he said Cambodia had been seeking since last February, but made no reference to the demand for Cambodian troops to abandon the temple grounds.
*The court said its ruling would not prejudice any final ruling on where the border in the area between Thailand and Cambodia should fall. It could take the court many months or even years to reach that decision.
*Abhisit, caretaker prime minister since the just-concluded
Thai general election, said that Thai soldiers would not pull out of the disputed area until the military of both countries agreed on the mutual withdrawal. "We need to talk to the Cambodians as the Cambodians also have to pull out their troops," Abhisit said at a news conference in Bangkok. "So there has to be some kind of mechanism to verify, to do it in an orderly manner. And therefore it depends on the two sides to come together and talk," he said, suggesting that an existing joint border committee would be the appropriate place to plan a coordinated pullback.
*On July 23, 2011, one Cambodian soldier was killed along the Cambodian-Thai border while another was wounded. A local military commander stated that the soldier's death was a result of clashes provoked by Thai troops. Pok Sophal, a commander for Oddar Meanchey's Trapaing Prasat district, stated that, "We had an appointment for the meeting
etween the two sides and when we were walking, they opened fire at our soldiers". Thai spokesman Phay Siphan stated that the government was investigating the incident, but dismissed claims of armed clashes.
= December
=
*On December 15, 2011, armies of both sides exchanged gunfire along the border in
Koh Kong Province. The armed clash erupted at 13:45 in Zone 329 in
Ta Min mountain after a Thai helicopter tried to land in Cambodian territory. No injuries or deaths were reported. The source said the Cambodian soldiers opened fire to prevent the Thai helicopter entering Cambodia and that the Thai soldiers responded with heavy gunfire. It was the first armed clash since Thailand's new government was formed in August.
*On December 21, 2011, Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to withdraw their troops from a disputed border area near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear.
Proceedings at the International Court of Justice

On 28 April 2011 Cambodia filed a request for interpretation of the 1962 judgment, as well as a request for the indication of
provisional measures, in the Registry of the
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
.
On 18 July 2011 the court rejected Thailand's attempt to have the case dismissed and indicated provisional measures requiring both states to withdraw their soldiers from a "provisional demilitarized zone" containing the area in dispute and some of its environs, continue their co-operation with ASEAN and observers appointed by it, and refrain from doing anything that might "aggravate or extend the dispute". It also ordered Thailand not to obstruct Cambodia's access to the Temple of Preah Vihear.
On 11 November 2013 the International Court of Justice gave judgment, ruling that the 1962 judgment awarded all of the
promontory
A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the s ...
to Cambodia and ordering the withdrawal of Thai soldiers. This followed a tense buildup to the decision in which dozens of Thai schools had closed ahead of the ruling.
The court first concluded that it had jurisdiction and the request for interpretation was admissible, finding that a "dispute exists between the Parties as to the meaning and scope of the 1962 judgment pursuant to Article 60 of the Statute
f the ICJ" The court said that the 1962 judgment had three important features:
[''Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 15 June 1962 in the Case concerning'' the Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia v. Thailand) ''(Cambodia v. Thailand), Merits'', para 7]
it involved an issue of "territorial sovereignty...and that it was not engaged in delimiting the frontier";
the "Annex I map played a central role in the reasoning of the Court..."; and that it made clear that it was only dealing with the small area in the "region of the Temple of Preah Vihear". The court unanimously declared:
The Court therefore concludes that the first operative paragraph of the 1962 Judgment determined that Cambodia had sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear, as defined in paragraph 98 of the present Judgment, and that, in consequence, the second operative paragraph required Thailand to withdraw from that territory the Thai military or police forces, or other guards or keepers, that were stationed there.
However, the court rejected Cambodia's argument that Phnom Trap had also been awarded to it by the 1962 judgment, concluding that the reference to the "vicinity" of the Temple of Preah Vihear in the operative part of the 1962 judgment was not intended to extend to it. Phnom Trap, known by Thais as Phu Ma-khuea (ภูมะเขือ, "
Solanum
''Solanum'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant (aubergine, brinjal). It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solana ...
Hill"), is the hill three kilometers northwest of the temple and comprises over 4 km
2 of the "4.6 square km" that both states agreed was in dispute.
Prior to the verdict, hundreds of Thai villagers left the area in expectation of the ruling to be unfavorable to them. There were also fears of renewed clashes amid rising nationalist rhetoric.
Civilian effects
After the initial attack on 4 February 2011, the Cambodian army fired
BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...
rockets into the town of Sao Thong Chai about from the border. As a direct result, primary schools, a local hospital, and four or five houses were destroyed. Only minutes before the bombardment, the local authority had issued a warning to the locals to evacuate and close the school. Despite this, one civilian was killed and at least 34 were injured in the rocket attack.
There are reports that 22,000 Thai citizens had to evacuate and abandon their homes. The Cambodian government blamed the Thai army for firing onto the World Heritage temple, causing severe damage, whereas the Cambodian army settled the site as an army base. There is evidence, such as video and photo footage from Reuters, showing that Cambodian forces used the temple as a military base and fired machine guns and artillery. Thai soldiers responded by firing rifles at the Cambodian soldiers hiding in the temple. However, there are only a few bullet impacts visible on the temple. The Associated Press reported that Cambodian troops were stationed in the temple.
The Thai army was accused of using cluster munitions against Cambodia during the border fighting in February. Thailand at first denied the allegation, but later admitted it had fired the weapons. According to the Cluster Munition Coalition, thousands of Cambodian villagers are now at risk of death or serious injury because of unexploded ordnance near their homes.
Reactions
International
Many Asian nations, including
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, and
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
, as well as
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, have called on both sides to exercise restraint.
Thailand and Cambodia agreed to allow Indonesian monitors to go to the border between the two countries to help prevent further military clashes; Indonesia was appointed as observer in this dispute.
Local

Despite the 1976
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) is a peace treaty among Southeast Asian countries established by the founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a geo-political and economic organisation of ...
, which commits parties to resolve intrastate conflict without violence, and the 2000
Memorandum of Understanding between Cambodia and Thailand, which established a Joint Border Commission to peacefully resolve overlapping claims, important constituent groups in Thailand, including the "Yellow Shirts," maintain that the status of Preah Vihear remains unresolved.
Villagers from Ban Phum Srol denounced plans by the
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD; ; commonly known as "Yellow Shirts") was a Thai reactionary, monarchist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime M ...
(PAD) ("Yellow Shirts") to bring relief supplies. Wichit Duangkaew, then 46, said, "You have created the war. You troubled us. We don't welcome you."
Police arrested a Thai, a Cambodian, and a Vietnamese in Thai
Sisaket
Sisaket (, , ; Northern Khmer dialect, Northern Khmer: ) is a Thesaban#Town municipality, town municipality in Isan, northeast Thailand, incorporating Mueang Nuea and Mueang Tai Subdistricts and parts of Cham, Nong Khrok, Pho, Phon kha, and Ya P ...
's
Kantharalak District, near the Thai-Cambodian border. The suspects carried maps with military bases marked on them, but they denied they were spying.
According to Michael Montesano, a visiting research fellow on Thai history and regional affairs at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, "They're people who say that
Hun Sen
Samdech Hun Sen (; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 5 August 1952) is a Cambodian politician and former military officer who currently serves as the List of presidents of the Senate (Cambodia), president of the Senate. He previous ...
's playing up the situation on the Thai border is a way to distract the Cambodian people from his much softer stance ''vis à vis'' Vietnam relating to poorly demarcated borders."
[ In relation to the mentioned poorly demarcated borders, the various areas of ]territorial dispute
A territorial dispute or boundary dispute is a disagreement over the possession (law), possession or control of territories (land, maritime territory, water or airspace) between two or more political entities.
Context and definitions
Territorial ...
are Dak Jerman/Dak Duyt, Dak Dang/Dak Huyt, the La Drang area and the islands of Baie/ Koh Ta Kiev, Pic/ Koh Thonsáy
See also
*
Preah Vihear dispute
*
Cambodia–Thailand border
*
Khao Phra Wihan National Park – the Thai side
*
Irredentism
Irredentism () is one State (polity), state's desire to Annexation, annex the territory of another state. This desire can be motivated by Ethnicity, ethnic reasons because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to or the same as the ...
for the principle involved
*
Thai–Laotian Border War
Similar articles:
*
Goguryeo controversies
*
Nanyue controversies
*
Karelian question
Literature
*
*
*
References
External links
Territorial maps
Map of the regained modern day Cambodia's territories during 1941(The part highlighted in red is Battambang Province; blue is Phibunsongkhram Province; green is Nakhon Champasak Province)
Map of the regained modern day Laos' territories during 1941(The part highlighted in black and white-stripe is Lan Chang Province)
Other websites
1962 Final Judgment of Preah Vihear Temple– International Court of Justice
International Boundary Study No. 40 (Revised) – November 23, 1966 Cambodia – Thailand Boundary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cambodian Thai Border Dispute
Conflicts in 2008
Conflicts in 2009
Conflicts in 2010
Conflicts in 2011
Anti-Thai sentiment
2008 in Cambodia
2008 in Thailand
Former disputed land areas
Territorial disputes of Cambodia
Territorial disputes of Thailand
Cambodia–Thailand border
Dângrêk Mountains
Controversies in Cambodia
Controversies in Thailand
International Court of Justice cases