Why are Cambodia and Thailand fighting again? It’s about temples, territory — and casinos

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Fire and smoke rise after, what the Thai army says, was the Royal Thai Army’s drone operation causing damages on Cambodian military’s arms depot, in an area given as Phu Ma Kuea Hill near Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia, in this screengrab from a handout video released on July 25, 2025. Thai Army/Handout via Reuters

By Dhesegaan Bala Krishnan

Friday, 25 Jul 2025 5:50 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Cambodia and Thailand are now locked in their most violent border conflict in over a decade, marking South-east Asia’s most serious flashpoint since the Myanmar crisis.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who currently chairs Asean, yesterday urged both countries to declare an immediate ceasefire and return to the negotiating table.

The latest fighting erupted after five Thai soldiers were injured on Wednesday at a shared border crossing, allegedly after stepping on landmines that Thailand claims were newly planted by Cambodia — a claim Cambodia denies.

Thailand responded yesterday by deploying multiple F-16 fighter jets — reportedly up to six — to bomb Cambodian military targets. Exchanges of fire continued into today.

According to a CNN report citing authorities from both sides, at least 15 people have been killed: 14 civilians and one soldier in Thailand — including a child — and one civilian in Cambodia.

Thailand has evacuated more than 100,000 people from provinces bordering Cambodia, with some reports placing the figure as high as 130,000. On the Cambodian side, around 4,000 residents have reportedly been displaced.

So, what exactly is fuelling the violence?

The contest over border temples

At the heart of the conflict is a long-standing border dispute dating back to a 1907 map drawn during French colonial rule to separate Cambodia and Thailand.

Both countries have long contested several un-demarcated sections of their 817km shared land border.

One of the key flashpoints is the 11th-century Hindu temple Preah Vihear, known to Thais as Phra Viharn.

Built during the Khmer Empire and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the temple has been a source of friction for decades.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia.

Tensions flared again in 2008 when Cambodia applied to register Preah Vihear as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Thailand objected, claiming ownership of the surrounding land.

Despite Thailand’s objections, Unesco granted the listing in July 2008, triggering deadly clashes that year and again in 2011.

In 2013, the ICJ reaffirmed that the entire temple area falls under Cambodian sovereignty.

Fresh tensions emerged in February this year when Cambodian troops escorted 25 civilians to a temple under Thai control, where they reportedly sang Cambodia’s national anthem.

Thai military personnel stopped the visitors and later issued a warning to their Cambodian counterparts.

In May, a Cambodian soldier was killed during a firefight near Preah Vihear province.

Thailand claims its latest military action was in response to spotting a drone near Ta Muen Thom temple in Thailand’s Surin province, followed by movement of Cambodian troops near the border.

Cambodia denies any drone activity and has accused Thailand of initiating the attack.

Thailand’s billion-dollar casino plan in the crossfire

The economic stakes behind the conflict are also rising — especially around the highly competitive casino industry.

Now-suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had been expected to table an “entertainment complex” bill this month to legalise casino gambling.

Currently, gambling in Thailand is only allowed on state-run horse racing and the national lottery.

Paetongtarn had pitched legalised casinos in designated entertainment zones as a way to boost state revenue, attract investment, and curb illegal gambling.

But Thailand’s entry into the legal gambling market would threaten Cambodia’s thriving casino industry.

Cambodia is home to about 150 casinos, most located in Poipet near the Thai border — a popular destination for Thai gamblers.

Plans for the Thai Bill were derailed after the leak of a diplomatic phone call between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen — father of current Cambodian leader Hun Manet — during the ongoing border crisis.

In the leaked exchange, Paetongtarn reportedly referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and made remarks about a Thai military official that drew public backlash. She later said the comments were made in an effort to de-escalate tensions.

The fallout was swift. Her fragile coalition lost its second-largest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, forcing a delay in tabling the casino legalisation bill.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has since suspended Paetongtarn from her role as prime minister.