Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire for a second day on Friday after months of rising tension over the shared border between the two Southeast Asian countries.
At least 16 people have been killed on the Thai side since the fighting started, and in Cambodia, at least one death has been reported. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the disputed area.
The border tensions have already contributed to a political crisis in Thailand: On July 1st, a Thai court suspended the prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, because of comments she made about the dispute, which goes back decades.
This conflict may prove to be a diplomatic opportunity for China. It is the largest trading partner for both Thailand and Cambodia, and has increased its influence in the region at a time when governments in Southeast Asia are becoming wary of the United States.
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What happened at the border Thursday?
Each nation accused the other of firing first.
The Thai army said Cambodia had fired rockets into civilian areas in four Thai provinces, prompting Thailand to send F-16 fighter jets to strike targets in Cambodia.
Cambodian officials said Thai soldiers had opened fire on Cambodian troops first, at Prasat Ta Muen Thom, a temple claimed by both nations. They said Cambodian forces returned fire about 15 minutes later.
On Friday, gunshots and artillery fire rang out throughout the day, and civilians on both sides of the border ran for shelter.
[ At least 16 dead as Thailand and Cambodia border clashes continueOpens in new window ]
More than 131,000 people in Thailand have evacuated, according to Thailand’s Health Ministry. In Cambodia, at least one death has been reported, and hundreds of people fled their homes in wagons pulled by tractors.
Why was Thailand’s prime minister suspended?
In June, Paetongtarn spoke by phone to Hun Sen, Cambodia’s de facto leader, to discuss the escalating border tensions. Hun Sen has close ties to her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister of Thailand and the leader of a powerful political dynasty, as well as one of the country’s richest men.
Hun Sen posted a recording of their call, in which Paetongtarn seemed to disparage Thailand’s powerful military and take a deferential tone. She called Hun Sen “uncle” and told him that she would “arrange” anything he wanted.
In response, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok to express their outrage. Although Paetongtarn apologised, she has faced pressure to resign.
In early July, a Thai court suspended her.
Why is the ownership of an ancient temple so important?
The ownership of Prasat Ta Muen Thom, an ancient temple on the Thai side of the border, is disputed by the two countries. Hun Sen claimed in a social media post that a Thai military commander had “started this war” by ordering the closure of the temple Wednesday and opening fire on Cambodian troops the next day.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of starting the conflict.
The temple is in the Surin region of Thailand, and people there speak Khmer as well as Thai – highlighting the cultural overlap with Cambodia, where Khmer is the official language. The province is known for ruins from the Khmer empire, which lasted from the ninth to the 15th century. One such ruin is Prasat Ta Muen Thom.
How old is the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?
The two countries have had occasional military clashes and nationalist rivalries for hundreds of years. The border disputes can be traced back to a 1907 map created during French colonial rule in Cambodia. The two countries interpret the map differently.
Military fighting has broken out intermittently since 2008, but the last time a major clash turned deadly was in 2011.
– This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
