Tensions along the long-contested border between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into open military conflict on July 24, when the Thai military conducted an airstrike targeting Cambodian forces. This recent escalation highlights the fragile peace and unresolved territorial disputes that have simmered between the two Southeast Asian neighbors for decades.

The root of the conflict lies in a stretch of land that has been contested since colonial times, when French Indochina’s mapmaking created ambiguous borders. This legacy has caused repeated disputes over the years, particularly around the area near the 11th-century Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, a site of both cultural and strategic significance.

Since 2008, sporadic clashes have broken out periodically between Thai and Cambodian forces. These have often involved artillery exchanges, ground skirmishes, and accusations of border incursions, but the recent violence marks one of the most severe escalations in recent memory.

According to an official statement from the Thai army, Thailand launched an airstrike against Cambodian military targets early on July 24. Deputy spokesperson for the Thai army, Richa Suksuwanon, confirmed the operation, stating that air power was deployed “against military targets as planned.”

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that two bombs were dropped by a Thai aircraft on a road near the disputed border region. The specific target of the strike has not been fully disclosed, but it was apparently a military installation or convoy.

The airstrike is significant because it marks a notable intensification of military tactics beyond previous ground skirmishes and artillery shelling. It also underscores Thailand’s readiness to escalate militarily if diplomatic efforts fail.

Much of the recent fighting has centered on the area surrounding the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple, an ancient Khmer site that sits........

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