BANGKOK: The Royal Thai Air Force has deployed JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets to bomb a Cambodian casino complex that Thai authorities say was being used as a base for heavy weapons and kamikaze drones targeting Thailand.
The Second Army Area said that early on Wednesday (Dec 10), Thai Gripen jets carried out a high-explosive air strike on the Lim Heng casino in O’Smach, opposite Chong Chom in Surin province. The operation was described as a lightning strike conducted amid sharply escalating clashes along the Thai–Cambodian border.
According to Thai military reports, the casino was no longer just an entertainment venue but had been converted into a key military stronghold for Cambodian forces. The site allegedly housed:
>Launch points for kamikaze (loitering) drones / FPV drones
>Concealed BM-21 multiple rocket launchers
>Areas for troop concentration and logistics
Details of damage and battle assessment from the air strike are still being compiled, with further updates expected.
Earlier, Air Force spokesperson Air Marshal Jakkrit Thammavichai told the Joint Information Centre on the Thai–Cambodian Border Situation that all air operations against Cambodian military targets were conducted jointly with the Army, using high-precision munitions to minimise harm to civilians.
“The Royal Thai Air Force places the highest importance on the choice of weapons,” he said. “A key condition is that air operations must not affect innocent civilians who are not involved in the fighting, whether Thai or Cambodian.”
A situation report from the Second Army Operations Centre at 5pm on Dec 9, 2025 said Cambodian forces had launched intense attacks on Thai positions between 9am and 5pm, expanding the fighting along multiple fronts.
Thai officials said Cambodia had fired around 125 BM-21 rocket salvos, totalling an estimated 5,000 rockets, and conducted 33 kamikaze/FPV drone attacks against Thai bases and positions in several sectors, including Chong An Ma and Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani, Thiangka Mok in Si Sa Ket and Chong Khana and Prasat Ta Kwai in Surin
Thai forces responded with what the Second Army described as “proportionate” counter-fire, focusing on military targets and fire bases.
The report added that heavy clashes continue along the entire deployment line. From recent engagements, Thailand has lost four soldiers killed in action and recorded 68 wounded. Cambodian military losses were reported at 61 killed, with the number of wounded “not yet assessed”.
The Second Army Area said it would continue to employ “every necessary measure” to ensure security, protect Thailand’s sovereignty and safeguard people living in border areas. - The Nation/ANN
