Posted on 07/24/2025 4:06:14 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
On Thursday, simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia exploded into a deadly battle at the border.
At least 12 Thai nationals, most of whom are civilians, have been killed, Thai authorities have said.
How many people - if any - have lost their lives on the Cambodian side is not known.
Each side is blaming each other for causing the escalation, which reportedly began with gunfire over the border.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of then firing rockets, while Bangkok carried out air strikes on Cambodian military targets.
So how did we get here - and where is it going?
This is not a recent dispute. In fact, the argument between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.
Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in the disputed area as a Unesco World Heritage Site - a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I remember about 10 years ago they were exchanging artillery, I was living 60km from the border at the time.
[T]he argument between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.
Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in the disputed area as a Unesco World Heritage Site - a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.
Because it’s there.
In March of 1923, British mountain climber George Leigh Mallory was touring the United States to raise money for an expedition to Mount Everest planned for the following year.
Asked why he would go to the trouble of trying to climb Mt. Everest, he replied:
“Because it’s there.”
I was just about to post about this.
Thailand and Cambodia are on the Brink of War: Here’s What You Need to Know
Warfronts YouTube Channel
Paul A. Morris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcSI9Tx6cRs&t=623s&ab_channel=Warfronts
He presents a concise background of what has lead up to this skirmish and whether it will escalate.
Thailand Pop: 65,975,198
14 Dornier Alpha Jets (Germany)
8 Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine (US)
13 Northrup F-5 (US)
48 General Dynamics F-16 (US)
11 Saab JAS 39 Gripen (Sweden)
2 Saab 340 AEW&C Airborne Early Warning Plane (Sweden)
14 Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker Recon plane (Switzerland)
1 Piaggio P.180 Avanti (Italy)
14 Diamond DA42 (Austria)
41 transport planes
33 Helicopters
plus much more support planes and drones.
Total Thai Military
Active personnel 853,850
Reserve personnel 1,540,000
Cambodia Pop: 17,577,760
5 Transport aircraft
26 Helicopters
Plus this In the past some MiG-21bis, L-39C Albatros, J-6C, MiG-17F, J-5, MiG-15UTI and CM.170R Magister were operational. These aircraft in 2023 could be seen on the ground in Phnom Penh International Airport.
They do have a professional association football team as one of its branches, which formerly played in the C-League.
Wiki does not list the air force personnel numbers.
The Army has an active force of 85,000
The Navy possesses fifteen patrol craft and a further five patrol craft of the “fast attack” variety. There are also about 200 motorized and manual canoes with a force of 4,800 personnel, including marines.
Not sure that Cambodia wants to mess with them.
I hope we aren’t sucked into that battle. There is trouble all over the place. Some say we are the world’s policeman, but I think we have more than enough on our plate.
Because registering a temple as a world heritage site is such a horrible thing to do.
“In March of 1923, British mountain climber George Leigh Mallory was touring the United States to raise money for an expedition to Mount Everest planned for the following year.
Asked why he would go to the trouble of trying to climb Mt. Everest, he replied:
“Because it’s there.”
And his body may well still be there as well. A 2019 exhibition found his remains but couldn’t remove them. Five years later another exhibition went there knowing where to find him and remove his remains and the body was gone. Possibly it had shift down the mountain or the Chinese recovered his body. His climbing partner Mallory’s foot was found last year. They hope is that Mallory’s camera will eventually be found and still have film that can be developed to determine if the two of them actually summitted and died on the way down.
My bad, Sandy Irvines foot (in the boot) was found on Everest last year, Mallory’s climbing partner.
To get to the other side.
Looks like Thailand has been collecting warplanes for some time now. Where does Thailand derive the money for those purchases?
Thailand does a lot of contract manufacturing. Many US manufacturers have relocated operations there.
Interesting.
Thailand does have a strong tourism industry. The economy has been a bouncy ride for decades, but it has had some very good years of growth in there:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand
Thailand?
(someone has to do it)
I wonder how all the expats who retired over there are doing now? It will probably blow over but maybe not this time. Cambodia with no military to speak of must be insane to have fired shells.
“Why are Thailand and Cambodia Fighting at the border?”
It’s what humans do !
Has anyone seen John Kerry and his Magic Hat lately?
Is this going to affect the child prostitution market?
Wat Preah Vihear (Khmer) or Wat Phra Viharn (Thai)
The ICJ settled the boundary dispute in favor of Cambodia in 1962, but it is at the top of a steep cliff facing Cambodia which is the the south. The only access other than climbing the cliff is from the north, inside Thailand.
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