Two of Indonesia's Neighbours in Conflict: Thailand and Cambodia in Gunfire and Grenade Exchange
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Thai military forces reported an exchange of gunfire with Cambodian troops along the border between the two nations on Tuesday. Thailand accused Phnom Penh of violating the ceasefire agreement, whilst Cambodia denied any weapon usage in the incident.
The border dispute, which has persisted for decades between the two Southeast Asian nations, previously flared into rounds of clashes last year. The series of conflicts resulted in dozens of deaths and forced over one million residents to flee during the July to December period.
Despite both nations having signed a ceasefire agreement in late December, tensions in the border region remain high. According to official Thai military statements, Cambodian forces fired a single 40 mm grenade round near a Thai patrol in the border province of Sisaket on Tuesday, which subsequently triggered return fire.
“Following the incident, Thai forces responded by firing an M79 towards the source of fire as a warning and for self-defence,” stated the official Thai military statement, quoted by AFP on Wednesday (25 February 2026).
In an initial assessment, the Thai military suspected the incident may have occurred due to troop rotation at the Cambodian position. Thai officials assessed that newly deployed personnel at the border may lack sufficient understanding of regulations and command control in the field.
Conversely, Cambodian Information Minister Neth Pheaktra stated that the allegations were entirely false and designed to mislead public opinion and provoke tensions. He stressed that allegations against his military were fabricated and grossly distorted the actual facts.
“Cambodia is deeply concerned that one-sided accusations made without joint verification, consultation, or factual evidence risk misinterpreting the situation on the ground and damaging mutual trust,” stated Neth Pheaktra.
Under the terms of the December ceasefire, Cambodia and Thailand had pledged to cease fire, freeze troop movements, and cooperate in mine-clearing efforts along their border. However, last month Thailand accused Cambodia of violating the agreement after cross-border mortar fire wounded a soldier, a claim subsequently denied by Phnom Penh, which termed the incident an explosion of a rubbish pile.
Since the latest round of heavy fighting, Cambodia has claimed that Thai forces have occupied several areas in the border province contrary to their agreement and demanded troop withdrawal. Conversely, Bangkok insists they merely reclaimed land that forms part of Thailand, which had been occupied by Cambodian residents for years.
The Thailand-Cambodia dispute dates back a century, originating from a delineation dispute during the French colonial era along the 800 kilometre border.