Thailand has reported conducting an airstrike on what it described as a "logistics centre" located near the Cambodian town of Poipet. Poipet is recognized as a significant casino hub and the primary land border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia.
Cambodia's Ministry of Defence stated that Thai forces deployed two bombs in the Poipet municipality area on Thursday morning. The Thai Air Force spokesperson, Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai, subsequently confirmed that the Thai military targeted a facility outside Poipet suspected of storing BM-21 rocket systems, adding that no civilians were harmed in the operation. BM-21 rockets are typically launched in volleys from armored vehicles.
This incident marks what appears to be the first bombing directly affecting Poipet, a town known for its casinos popular with Thai visitors and its international border checkpoint.
The current hostilities are part of renewed border clashes between the two nations, which have shown no signs of de-escalation. Recent reports indicate that the renewed fighting this month has resulted in 21 fatalities in Thailand and 17 in Cambodia, with approximately 800,000 individuals displaced, according to officials.
Earlier in the week, Cambodia implemented closures of its land border crossings with Thailand. As a result, between 5,000 and 6,000 Thai nationals were reportedly stranded in Poipet. Cambodia's interior ministry described the border closures as a "necessary measure" to mitigate risks to civilians, while confirming that air travel options remained available for those seeking to depart.
The long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, which dates back a century, intensified significantly on July 24. This escalation began with a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand, followed by retaliatory Thai air strikes. The initial period saw five days of sustained fighting, resulting in casualties among both soldiers and civilians.
An "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" was later agreed upon, brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and then-US President Donald Trump. However, this ceasefire subsequently collapsed, with both sides attributing blame to the other for reigniting the conflict, which has since involved further air strikes and artillery exchanges.
Last week, Cambodia also accused Thai forces of bombing Siem Reap province, which houses the Angkor temples, marking the first such occurrence in the latest series of confrontations.