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SUMMARY OF CRISIS AND KEY FINDINGS
Cambodia and Thailand have long disputed several non-demarcated areas along their shared 800-kilometre land border.
Tensions escalated in May 2025 following a fatal clash between soldiers, sparking a diplomatic crisis and increased military buildup on both sides. On June 15, Cambodia appealed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution. The situation worsened after two landmine incidents injured Thai soldiers in July, with mutual accusations of provocation leading to intensified skirmishes and culminating in a major military confrontation on July 24.
Despite the ceasefire that took effect on 28 July 2025, tensions between Cambodia and Thailand remained elevated. The renewed escalation in December 2025 has intensified, triggering widespread displacement across several north-western and western provinces, including Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Battambang, Koh Kong and Siem Reap.6
There have been 18 civilian deaths in Cambodia, including an infant and an elderly person, with 79 injured.
In Thailand, a total of 16 civilian deaths have been reported, including one directly related to fighting, and six civilians have been injured.
According to official report released by the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) on 18 December, more than 151 000 families — over 490 000 people — have been evacuated, including over 260 000 women and more than 158 000 children. In parallel, Thai authorities have reported extensive evacuations of civilians from border districts, with many temporarily accommodated in government-managed shelters or relocated to host communities.
The scale and speed of displacement is unprecedented for Cambodia.10 In addition, 900 000 Cambodian nationals have returned to Cambodia from Thailand since the previous conflict11.
There are 194 camps established across seven provinces with the majority in Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey. Most camps are within temples and near health centres or referral hospitals. Essential health services are being provided by on-site medical teams in all IDPs.
To date, 52 healthcare facilities near the Cambodia–Thailand border in the give main affected provinces, in particular, Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Battambang have been closed due to insecurity. One of the closures was due to shelling in the compound of the hospital (Battambang province). This has severely disrupted access to essential health services for displaced populations. In Thailand, while no direct damage to health facilities has been reported, multiple hospitals and subdistrict health-promoting facilities in border areas have experienced temporary closures or service disruption due to evacuations and security measures.
The conflict has had significant humanitarian, economic, and diplomatic repercussions . Massive civilian displacement has strained local resources and disrupted normal life in border provinces, with thousands fleeing homes to escape fighting. Economically, border closures and disruptions to trade and tourism have hurt Cambodia’s recovery remittances from Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand have dropped sharply due to the exodus of workers, border trade has stalled, and tourism revenues have fallen as security fears deter visitors. The downturn in cross-border commerce and movement has also contributed to inflationary pressures and slowed growth in key sectors.