Thai - Cambodia Conflict Thai Troops Retaliate, 100 Cambodian Soldiers Dead in Fierce Clash

[IvorBiggun2]

9 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

When will the submarines and frigates be sent into battle?

At the same time as the aircraft carrier.

[thesetat]

11 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

I'm expecting a spokesman from the Thai military to be trotted out inflating more silly figures.

Yeah... even the numbers here in this OP got doubled. I think it is mostly because Thailand needs to show more damage given than Cambodia shows. But currently the body count is about 50k...  about 95% are Cambodian civilians. 

[BritScot]

On 7/26/2025 at 3:36 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Has fighting between Cambodia and Thailand ever been this bad?

Yes, Thailand didn't do very well then. I am very suspicious about the figures. Being the first one to strike will give front page headline figure but what matters is what comes next. I think there will be a massive strike by Cambodia because they have no choice. Their internal power in Cambodia will demand it. 

[sikishrory]

Sadly this is the type of headline any Thai I have spoken to about would be happy with. General consensus seems to be they need to be taught a lesson.

[Quack]

Maybe it's about time Thailand marched all the way to Phnom Penh, deposed Hun Sen, and let them hold proper elections. I think most Khmers would appreciate it 

[ezzra]

19 hours ago, renaissanc said:

How do you fight a war when you are squabbling over only 4.6 sq. kilometres of land? It sounds so WW1-ish.

All of a sudden' the 'squabbling' over Gaza doesn't look so out of place' does it now?

( I wonder how many red thumbs down I'll get for this post) 😀

[hotandsticky]

7 minutes ago, ezzra said:

All of a sudden' the 'squabbling' over Gaza doesn't look so out of place' does it now?

( I wonder how many red thumbs down I'll get for this post) 😀

 

 

No thumbs down but I wouldn't describe the Gaza situation as a "squabble"....................incomparable with the Thai-Cambodia border issue.

[flaming dragon]

6 hours ago, JackGats said:

I don't like this whole affair one little bit. Of course the Thais look like they will have no difficulty in teaching the Cambodians a lesson, but so did the Russians when the Ukraine war started, remember? I don't want the country of which I am a resident to embroil itself and its economy in a fratricidal conflict. Before soon borders might get closed again and it would be like Covid without Covid.

 

Kudos for Trump if he can kill this war in the bud.

 

They're conscripting foreign retirees for the Fighting 104th Geezer Brigade.  Recruitment has started in Pattaya and Bangkok bars which are known to be frequented by former SAS, SEALS, and other aged hardmen. Hell, even Vinny Jones has signed up. 

[flaming dragon]

1 hour ago, Quack said:

Maybe it's about time Thailand marched all the way to Phnom Penh, deposed Hun Sen, and let them hold proper elections. I think most Khmers would appreciate it 

 

The Cambodians are talking about marching in to Bangkok, deposing the current regime and holding proper elections, believing the Thais would appreciate it. 

[MarkBR]

1 hour ago, Quack said:

Maybe it's about time Thailand marched all the way to Phnom Penh, deposed Hun Sen, and let them hold proper elections. I think most Khmers would appreciate it 

In a dictatorship most of the people would welcome its collapse (given that all dictatorship are criminal enterprizes).  Wondering whether this might precipitate its collapse if it went on longer?  

[ezzra]

26 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

No thumbs down but I wouldn't describe the Gaza situation as a "squabble"....................incomparable with the Thai-Cambodia border issue.

Yes, I totally agree, the small different is that not Thailand, nor Cambodia, have declare their intentions to

kill everyone and wipe out the other.

[proton]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Cambodia bombed a hospital, ok with you?

 

Not seen any evidence of this, or much of anything else going on. Big concert today at Rangsit 2-8PM to raise money for those affected by the conflict, not going, it will be flag waving Thais are the victims nonsense.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, proton said:

 

Not seen any evidence of this, or much of anything else going on. Big concert today at Rangsit 2-8PM to raise money for those affected by the conflict, not going, it will be flag waving Thais are the victims nonsense.

 

 

None so blind as those who don't bother to try and see. 

 

Would you like me to take you to Phanom Dongrak hospital ?......or will you claim that the Thais self destructed the hospital?

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40052994

[TheTightArseTraveller]

On 7/26/2025 at 6:36 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Has fighting between Cambodia and Thailand ever been this bad?

I think so.  My wife tells me she used to lie in her bed listening to the bombs about 15 years ago.

We live in an 'orange' zone and can hear the bombs now.

[NanLaew]

21 hours ago, Gaccha said:

It's remarkable looking at the work of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

 

They have gone back in time looking at the satellite maps and they can identify the exact moments of explosions and troop movements. 

 

Never has a conflict being so clearly the fault of one side: Cambodia.

 

You can clearly see troop movements in mid-February, to fortify strategic hill stations, as well as strengthening military road networks within Cambodia. 

 

You can then see that the first shots were fired into Thailand. 

 

But it is equally shocking how bad Thailand has done on the communication front. The whole international media is alight with Cambodian representatives pleading their innocence. Whilst Thai diplomats sound aggressive and obstinant. 

 

More remarkable that the Thai military, with assets on the ground, appears to have completely missed this incremental build up of an offensive force, right on their front porch.

 

Or maybe they didn't?

 

I see this is the result of two ageing despots having a significant falling out some time ago. In the same way as Musk hastily tweeted about Trump being in the Epstein file just after their acrimonious parting, and then recanting, Hun Sen has threatened to release some of his private conversations with Thaksin that could seriously imperil the latter's personal freedom. I haven't heard if he has recanted, but maybe it's not a coincidence that the Thai PM's quite damning private conversation was leaked to the media.

 

Furthermore, at the same time as the Thai Foreign Minister is assuring the UN Security Council in NY that there will be no escalation, Thaksin is in Ubon, saying the Thai army needs to complete its mission.

 

YCMTSU

TiT

[lordgrinz]

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

saying the Thai army needs to complete its mission

 

The only "mission" that makes any sense, would be a mission to hunt down and kill Hun Sen and Hun Manet.

[songhklasid]

Once the fighting is over , then comes the hard bit , dividing territory , 4 temples , sites ? 2 each , job done , both countries put up a case for which ones are desired by them , overseen by 3rd country , just sayin 

rgds SS . 

[Patong2021]

Please keep in mind that the  soldiers who will be dying and torn apart are young men in the prime of their lives. They are dying in a senseless confrontation because two militaries have to prove their worth. I don't know how many of the  war supporters have been in a bombardment zone, but I can assure you it is unpleasant and frightening. Even when a projectile explodes at a safe distance, you still feel the ground shudder, and the air pressure changes.

 

On 7/25/2025 at 6:03 PM, ukrules said:

Might make them think twice before firing rockets into Thailand again.

 

I know they are going to be crapping themselves, especially at the 'top levels' inside Cambodia.

Sometimes I live among them and notice things which are not normal and you hear stories about certain people who are unexpectedly swarmed by bodyguards when there's an incident like the one a few months back when a single Cambodian soldier was killed on the border and loads of them just turned up for someone who doesn't usually have bodyguards yet is surprisingly some member of Hun Sens extended family.

They were scared back then so I have no doubts there's a lot of reaction in the last couple of days and that's all the way down in Phnom Penh.

They must have reason to fear in Phnom Penh to act like that or they wouldn't do it.

 

The Cambodian generals are not scared. They are far from the conflict. They send the 20 year olds to die, just like they did  during Pol Pot's rule.

 

On 7/25/2025 at 11:21 PM, Hunz Kittisak said:

Well done 

I’ve never liked the military much as I do now. 
Evil Hun Sen regime needs to be taught a lesson.
Go! Go! Go! 

 

He is not going to be taught anything. On the contrary, the conflict will be used to tighten his control.

 

19 hours ago, liddelljohn said:

Thais should bomb Sianoukville   thats where all the Chinese are ,, who control Cambodia 

 

Cambodia is a Chinese client state. In the event that any Chinese nationals are harmed, the  PLA will be in Cambodia within hours and Chinese aircraft will have wiped out the RTAF. China will protect its people and it will prop up the Cambodians. The USA will not come to the rescue of Thailand.

 

18 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

The leaders are taking leaves out or Trump/netanyahoooo books. Start some military conflict to deflect from internal issues. 

October 7 was an intentional breach of a ceasefire, and a direct attack on Israel by the Gazan regime. It was done at the request of Iran to stop the progress on the Abraham accords which would have seen a timeline for Palestinian statehood agreed to and a recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia.

 

17 hours ago, Rinato said:

I just read that Cambodia asked for immediate and unconditionef casefire 

No. That was Trump telling them to stop.

 

2 hours ago, Quack said:

Maybe it's about time Thailand marched all the way to Phnom Penh, deposed Hun Sen, and let them hold proper elections. I think most Khmers would appreciate it 

You have no SE Asian combat experience do you? Ask the French, Australians and USA how they managed a war in the region. The coalition couldn't control Afghanistan, the USA could not control Iraq, Israel can't control Gaza, KSA and UAE could not hold Yemen etc.  My friend who served during the worst of the insurgency has told me many times how he hated patrolling. In villages and along highways, there were IEDS and booby traps. In the jungle, snipers and booby traps. It would be no easy task, especially once the Chinese troops were deployed.

[zzzzz]

22 hours ago, Gaccha said:

It's remarkable looking at the work of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

 

They have gone back in time looking at the satellite maps and they can identify the exact moments of explosions and troop movements. 

 

Never has a conflict being so clearly the fault of one side: Cambodia.

 

You can clearly see troop movements in mid-February, to fortify strategic hill stations, as well as strengthening military road networks within Cambodia. 

 

You can then see that the first shots were fired into Thailand. 

 

But it is equally shocking how bad Thailand has done on the communication front. The whole international media is alight with Cambodian representatives pleading their innocence. Whilst Thai diplomats sound aggressive and obstinant. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3075625/satellite-analysis-reveals-cambodia-as-primary-escalator-in-thai-border-conflict

[greeneking]

3 hours ago, Quack said:

Maybe it's about time Thailand marched all the way to Phnom Penh, deposed Hun Sen, and let them hold proper elections. I think most Khmers would appreciate it 

And would Thailand also support the holding of proper elections once they had marched home again?

[FritsSikkink]

4 hours ago, BritScot said:

Yes, Thailand didn't do very well then. I am very suspicious about the figures. Being the first one to strike will give front page headline figure but what matters is what comes next. I think there will be a massive strike by Cambodia because they have no choice. Their internal power in Cambodia will demand it. 

They have no chance at all: https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-comparison-detail.php?country1=Cambodia&country2=Thailand

[thesetat]

4 hours ago, sikishrory said:

Sadly this is the type of headline any Thai I have spoken to about would be happy with. General consensus seems to be they need to be taught a lesson.

Yes... I would agree with your general consensus. Typical though since most Thais see Cambodians as less than human and only good for menial labor. 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

 

The only "mission" that makes any sense, would be a mission to hunt down and kill Hun Sen and Hun Manet.

 

That obviously makes sense to Thaksin, since right now, Hun Sen is a bit of a smoking gun.

 

Meanwhile, Hun Manet has the political equivalence of the suspended Thai PM and the same lack of balls.

[ukrules]

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

The Cambodian generals are not scared. They are far from the conflict. They send the 20 year olds to die, just like they did  during Pol Pot's rule.

 

Oh the entire system is scared, I've seen it - they're running around with SUVs full of bodyguards in case someone takes a pop at them on the street

You only do that when you're scared to walk between your car and your house.

They didn't used to do it - now they do. Draw your own conclusions.

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Cambodia bombed a hospital, ok with you?

 Cambodia did not bomb a hospital, the country has no fighter/bomber aircraft!

[cynic1]

On 7/26/2025 at 3:43 PM, Forrests Father said:

The first thing that dies during a conflict is the truth. 

Not true. Usually the first victims are civilians. Good example, Hitler invading Poland, Russia etc. The majority killed are innocent civilians. Then as you say, "the truth".

[cynic1]

Isn't there enough wars in the world at the moment? Make peace ( talk to each other) and not war. Nobody wins from war.

[JackGats]

Funny how we expats often rail against Thailand, but right now feel like our own side (Thailand) is under attack and needs our support. That's the way the human (especially the male) mind works I suppose. Go for it Thailand, we stand 100% behins you!

[CHdiver]

If Cambodia is questioning the numbers of death soldiers, I would advice the Thai Army to send in the fighter jets again and bomb the <deleted> out of another Cambodian Military Stronghold, then ask them to count again. They can repeat that till the numbers are equal.  

[FritsSikkink]

9 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

 Cambodia did not bomb a hospital, the country has no fighter/bomber aircraft!

They threw rockets at 2 hospitals now.