Thai F-16 fighter jets attack a civilian area in Pursat province on Dec 20. - FB
PHNOM PENH: The recent escalation of violence along the Cambodia–Thailand border is deeply alarming. What initially appeared to be a fragile security incident has evolved into a dangerous cycle of military action that now carries implications well beyond a bilateral dispute.
As civilian areas are increasingly affected and ceasefire commitments erode, the situation warrants sustained international attention — not as interference, but as a necessary safeguard for regional stability, civilian protection and the integrity of international law.
For Cambodia, the core issue is not only territorial integrity, but also the protection of civilians and strict adherence to internationally recognised legal and diplomatic frameworks.
Border disputes in South-East Asia are often shaped by complex historical legacies, yet experience consistently shows that the use of force rarely produces durable solutions.
Instead, it entrenches mistrust, inflames nationalism and imposes disproportionate human costs on border communities that have little influence over political decisions.
Cambodia has consistently upheld diplomatic mechanisms and international law, and has welcomed mediation efforts by the US, Malaysia in its capacity as Asean chair and China.
Throughout the crisis, Cambodia has faithfully honoured and implemented the ceasefire and the Kuala Lumpur peace agreement, demonstrating restraint and a clear commitment to peaceful conflict resolution. This approach reflects an understanding that legitimacy in today’s international system is strengthened through law and dialogue, not unilateral action.
The international and regional response has therefore been both appropriate and necessary. China, the US and Asean have all called on both sides to return to the ceasefire and respect existing peace arrangements.
Malaysia has taken a particularly constructive role by initiating an Asean monitoring mechanism to verify compliance with the ceasefire, including a request for satellite support from the US to enhance transparency and confidence-building.
These efforts underscore Asean’s continuing relevance as a platform for preventive diplomacy at a moment of acute regional stress.
Beyond South-East Asia, the EU has issued a statement urging both parties to recommit to the ceasefire and the peace agreement, while offering satellite capabilities to assist in monitoring developments on the ground.
At the same time, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on both sides to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law. Such broad-based engagement reflects a shared concern that escalation along the Cambodia–Thailand border could undermine wider regional norms governing conflict management and civilian protection.
Despite these sustained diplomatic efforts, Thailand has rejected mediation initiatives and unilaterally withdrawn from the ceasefire and peace agreement. The situation has since deteriorated further.
Thailand has used armed drones and F-16 fighter jets in its military operations that have struck temples, schools, hospitals, pagodas, bridges, residential areas, villages and refugee shelters located deep within Cambodian territory.
These actions raise serious concerns regarding proportionality, distinction and compliance with international humanitarian law, and reinforce why continued international scrutiny is necessary.
The humanitarian consequences are significant and immediate. Civilians living near the border face displacement, loss of livelihoods and prolonged insecurity. Damage to civilian infrastructure and places of worship not only causes physical destruction, but also erodes social cohesion and deepens long-term trauma.
When civilian harm reaches this scale, silence or indifference from the international community becomes untenable.
Equally critical is the information environment surrounding the conflict. In the digital age, unverified claims, emotionally charged rhetoric and rapid online amplification can escalate tensions as effectively as military force.
International attention plays an important stabilising role by encouraging factual accuracy, restraint in public discourse and space for diplomacy rather than confrontation.
The Cambodia–Thailand conflict demands international attention because it tests the credibility of the rules-based order in South-East Asia. If ceasefires and peace agreements can be abandoned without consequence, and if civilian areas become targets of escalation, the precedent would be deeply destabilising for the region as a whole.
At this critical juncture, Thailand must be called upon to fully and faithfully honour and implement the ceasefire and the Kuala Lumpur peace agreement. A return to dialogue, mediation and internationally recognised mechanisms remains the only viable path to preventing further civilian suffering and preserving regional stability.
International attention, properly exercised, is not about choosing sides, it is about upholding law, protecting civilians, and preventing a localised conflict from becoming a wider regional crisis.
*** Dr Kin Phea is a specialist in political science. The views and opinions expressed are his own.
