Mass Evacuations Amid Thailand-Cambodia Border Clashes in December 2025
About 500,000 people have been evacuated from border areas along the 800 km frontier between Cambodia and Thailand amid ongoing clashes involving jets, tanks, and drones. At least 15 people have been killed, including Thai soldiers and Cambodian civilians, with displacement exceeding half a million.
Thailand has reported over 400,000 civilians evacuated to shelters, while Cambodia has evacuated over 101,000 people. Evacuees are sheltering in pagodas, schools, and other safe havens. Notably, evacuations were ordered from temple grounds due to safety concerns at Ta Krabey temple.
Thailand imposed an overnight curfew from 7pm to 5am in parts of Sa Kaeo starting Wednesday night. The fighting has spread to five provinces on both sides. Both governments blame each other for reigniting violence, with reports including Thai shelling near Ta Krabey temple and rockets near Phanom Dong Rak hospital in Surin.
Cambodia withdrew from the Southeast Asian Games held in Thailand, citing safety concerns. Thai officials suggest dialogue may eventually end the fighting but not at this time, and they have rejected third-country mediation for now due to trust issues.
Diplomatic efforts include U.S. President Donald Trump vowing to intercede, planning to call Thai and Cambodian leaders. A ceasefire was brokered earlier by the U.S., China, and ASEAN in July, followed by a declaration in October; however, Thailand suspended the agreement in November.
The conflict has caused severe disruption for residents; a sugarcane farmer from Sa Kaeo described fleeing for the second time in five months, underscoring the personal toll of the clashes.
