Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting on the border?

Simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have flared up again along their shared border, derailing a fragile ceasefire backed by US President Donald Trump.

At least three Thai soldiers and seven Cambodian civilians have been killed since Monday, with the countries accusing each other of starting the violence.

The clashes, in which Thailand also launched airstrikes along the border, are the most serious since the ceasefire was agreed in July.

This is not a recent dispute. The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the two nations’ borders were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

Hostilities intensified in 2008, when Cambodia attempted to register an 11th-century temple located in the disputed area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The move was met with heated protests from Thailand.

Over the years there have been sporadic clashes, with soldiers and civilians killed on both sides.

The latest tensions rose in May, after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This plunged relations between the countries to their lowest point in more than a decade.

In the run-up to the first clash in July, both nations had imposed border restrictions. Cambodia banned imports from Thailand, including fruits and vegetables, energy supplies and internet services.

Both countries had also reinforced troop presence along the border in recent weeks.

Both parties have given different versions of what happened.

On Monday, December 8, the Thai military said its troops had responded to Cambodian fire in the Thai province of Ubon Ratchathani. It said that a Thai soldier had been killed.

The Thai military said it had also launched airstrikes against military targets along the disputed border.

However, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry said it was Thai forces that attacked first, in Preah Vihear province. Cambodia also insisted it did not retaliate.

The next day, Thailand’s military accused Cambodia of firing rockets and using bomb-launching drones and kamikaze drones against Thai soldiers, with some rockets reportedly hitting civilian areas.

He later confirmed that he had carried out more airstrikes.

Cambodia has also accused Thailand of indiscriminate firing on civilian areas in its border province of Pursat.

Both sides exchanged fire and each claimed that the other had sparked the conflict.

The situation quickly escalated, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of firing rockets and Bangkok carrying out airstrikes against Cambodian military targets.

At least 48 people were killed and thousands displaced during five days of fighting.

Then Trump intervened and, with Malaysia’s help, negotiated a ceasefire.

The US president subsequently oversaw the signing of what he called “the Kuala Lumpar peace agreement” in October. Thailand refused to call it that and referred to it as “Joint statement by the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia on the results of their meeting in Kuala Lumpur.”

Both agreed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the disputed region and establish an interim observation team to monitor it.

The next step was supposed to include the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers held in Thailand.

Thailand suspended the deal in November, and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the security threat “hasn’t really diminished.”

At the time, Cambodia said it remained committed to the terms of the deal.

After fighting broke out again in December, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told the BBC that the ceasefire was “not working” and that “the ball is in Cambodia’s court.”

However, former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said they had only returned fire late on Monday to “respect the ceasefire.”

Meanwhile, Trump has called on both sides to respect the agreement, the Reuters news agency said.

It’s unclear where this will take us.

While there have been serious exchanges of gunfire in the past, these subsided relatively quickly.

In July, that was the path our correspondent Jonathan Head thought would be followed again.

However, he warned, at this time there is a lack of leadership with the strength and confidence to get out of this confrontation in both countries.

You can read more of their analysis from earlier in the year here.

For travelers to Thailand, the UK Foreign Office is currently advising against all but essential travel to areas within a 50 kilometer radius of the entire border with Cambodia.

For those in Cambodia, it advises against all but essential travel to border areas within a 50 kilometer radius of the entire border with Thailand.

You can check the latest travel advice on the Foreign Office site.