The fractured friendship behind the fight at the Thailand-Cambodia border
The latest violent clash at the Thailand-Cambodia border on July 24, 2025, was triggered by the dramatic breakdown of a once-close personal and political relationship between members of the two countries’ most powerful families, exposing deeper historical and political rifts.
The border region, especially near ancient temples like Prasat Ta Muen Thom, has been disputed for decades, with tensions flaring periodically, most notably in 2008 and 2011, due to unresolved historical claims dating back to colonial-era treaties and the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) 1962 ruling awarding the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia.
The current escalation was fueled by the public release of a private phone call between former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in which she called Hun Sen “uncle” and criticized her own military commander. This breach of trust and public embarrassment sparked outrage in Thailand and was seen as a personal betrayal by both parties, ending a long history of family-level diplomacy that had helped manage border disputes in the past.
Politically, the incident exacerbated a leadership crisis in Thailand: Paetongtarn was suspended, sparking new instability and hardening nationalist attitudes. Each government expelled the other’s ambassador, and trade—normally robust—ground to a halt.
Immediate triggers and escalation:
Border skirmishes had been intensifying since May, starting with the death of a Cambodian soldier and landmine injuries to Thai troops. On July 24, violence erupted after both sides accused each other of crossing into disputed territory and opening fire. Cambodian forces reportedly shelled Thai towns, killing at least 11 civilians and one soldier, prompting Thailand to deploy F-16 fighter jets to strike Cambodian positions.
Both Thai and Cambodian authorities have claimed self-defense, with Cambodia alleging “unprovoked aggression” and Thailand accusing Cambodia of new landmine deployments and attacks on civilians.
Bigger picture—fractured friendship:
The personal connection between the Shinawatra political dynasty in Thailand and the Hun family in Cambodia had, until recently, allowed for backchannel diplomacy and crisis management. The abrupt and public collapse of this relationship undermined trust and opened the door for hardliners and nationalist factions to escalate rhetoric and military actions.
Broader context includes ongoing bitter accusations: Thailand has accused Cambodian businessmen of running illicit operations within its borders, while Cambodians point to Thai interference in Cambodian politics and past cases of dissidents being forcibly returned or disappeared.
Civilian casualties are mounting, and both governments are controlling narratives, making independent casualty reporting and border developments hard to verify.
The situation remains extremely volatile, with mass evacuations in Thai provinces bordering Cambodia and both sides threatening further escalation.
The latest border conflict is the violent manifestation of a fractured political friendship, compounded by historic territorial disputes and nationalist pressures. The collapse of elite-level personal trust made de-escalation far harder, escalating isolated incidents into open fighting with significant civilian suffering.
