The governments of Thailand and Cambodia stated on Wednesday that since the border conflict erupted again, more than 500,000 people have fled their homes to seek refuge in safer places—a figure exceeding the number evacuated during similar clashes earlier this year.
According to AFP, Thai Ministry of Defense spokesperson Surasak Khongsiri told reporters at a press conference: “As our assessment found that the safety of civilians faces an imminent threat, we have called for a mass evacuation of civilians. More than 400,000 people have been relocated to safe shelters in seven provinces.”
“We hope to prevent another attack on civilians like the one in July 2025.”
Cambodian Ministry of Defense spokesperson Mari Socheata told reporters that as of Tuesday evening, “101,229 people in Cambodia have been evacuated to safe shelters and relatives’ homes in five provinces.”
The two Southeast Asian neighbors have a disputed border stretching 800 kilometers (500 miles), with the demarcation line left over from the colonial era. Their dispute over the ownership of a historic temple has escalated into armed conflict.
This week’s conflict is the deadliest since the five-day fighting in July. That battle left dozens dead and displaced around 300,000 people on both sides of the border. A ceasefire agreement was reached through the mediation of US President Trump.
Currently, both sides accuse each other of instigating the new conflict. According to AFP and official statistics, Tuesday’s clashes have already spread to five provinces in both Thailand and Cambodia.