Could two neighbors on the brink pull back before it’s too late?
Cambodia is pleading for an “immediate” ceasefire with Thailand as deadly border clashes stretch into a third day.
Over 30 lives have been lost—soldiers and civilians alike—and nearly 200,000 people forced from their homes.
“We want peace, unconditionally,” Cambodia’s UN ambassador Chhea Keo said, calling for a diplomatic fix to the escalating crisis.
Thailand Not Backing Down
Its foreign minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, says Cambodia needs to show “genuine sincerity” before talks can even begin.
The fighting, which erupted Thursday, has already spread to 12 flashpoints. Heavy weapons are now in play.
Thailand has declared martial law across eight border districts.
It accuses Cambodia of shelling civilian areas, while Cambodia claims Thailand used banned cluster munitions—an allegation Bangkok hasn’t yet addressed.
“We’re heading toward war,” warned Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
Meanwhile, more than 140,000 Thai civilians and 35,000 Cambodians have fled.
The toll? Thailand reports 19 dead, Cambodia 13—numbers rising by the hour.
As rockets fly and tensions boil, one question looms: will cooler heads prevail, or are these nations hurtling toward a full-blown war no one truly wants?
