With Thailand and Cambodia embroiled in an ongoing territorial disputes, many Cambodians working in Thailand left the country as several have faced violence and many more felt threatened. As workers try to find new jobs in Cambodia, their employers in Thailand are facing a labour shortage. Both are bracing for substantial losses if the splintered economic relationship isn’t fixed.

The recurring clashes between Thailand and Cambodia are often described as the residue of colonial-era boundary disputes. This explanation, however, obscures the real dynamic: the Thai military’s repeated exploitation of anachronistic disputes to preserve its political dominance.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has announced as part of his policy statement that the government plans to hold a referendum on whether to repeal the two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on border demarcation between Thailand and Cambodia.

Exposing the Thai-Cambodian conflict area finds landmines abandoned from old wars over 17 km2 of land with no end in sight, especially during this serious conflict when Thailand only has 1 year left under the Ottawa Treaty to clear all mines. If there are still landmines, the border cannot be demarcated and this will become an endless loop.

Despite a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, hostility has remained deeply embedded in both countries, fueled by misinformation. Amidst the turmoil, Cambodians and Thais have come together to launch a cross border campaign aimed at combating hatred and promoting empathy and lasting peace.

After a ceasefire was imposed on the armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, the Thai government invited the international media and foreign military attaches to inspect the border areas affected by clashes.

While Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of violating the ceasefire, the Thai military announced that it had taken control of 11 locations along the border. What does this mean for peace?

The recent Thailand-Cambodia border conflict has disrupted the lives of ordinary Thais and Cambodians alike. People in other Thai border provinces have not been spared the consequences either.

As the recent territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia escalated into an armed conflict, a wave of nationalism is rising. Right-wing influencers are threatening violence against Cambodian migrant workers and calling on patriots to join them. The Thai authorities have issued warnings, but Adisorn Kerdmongkol of Migrant Working Group (MWG) said that concrete actions are needed.

The human rights organization Fortify Rights have called on the UN to establish an independent Fact-Finding Mission to investigate the conduct of Thai and Cambodian armed forces in the border conflict between the two nations to establish the facts regarding potential war crimes in the conflict.

Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire deal reached on Monday to end five days of border clashes, as Cambodian forces allegedly continued their attacks after midnight, when the ceasefire officially took effect.

Thai and Cambodian military commanders met to discuss ending a five-day border conflict in accordance with yesterday’s (28 July) ceasefire agreement.