Thai Army attacks in Battambang trigger expanded French no-visit advisory

The sky the limit for the Thai army

Officials reported damage to religious sites and widespread fear among residents. Cambodian forces said they were defending sovereign territory and monitoring the situation closely.

Thailand’s military offered a different account. According to the Thai newspaper The Nation, a Royal Thai Air Force spokesperson said an air operation on December 24 targeted a Cambodian weapons depot in Battambang province. The Thai army bombed as well the district of Srei Snam in Siem Reap province on the same day.

The army’s justification is to further degrade Cambodia’s capabilities and ensure the safety of Thai forces. The bombing of the area was just 15 km away from Battambang, Cambodia’s third largest city with 120,000 inhabitants and a popular destination for backpackers. The Thai army already bombed border areas in the Province of Siem Reap, some 90 km away Northwest of Siem Reap city and Angkor temples.

“Peace requires sincerity. At this stage, Cambodia has shown no sincerity at all when it comes to a ceasefire, so it is the duty of the military to protect the lives and property of the people,” claimed the RTAF.

The Nation reported that when asked whether this marked an escalation and the first deep strike into Cambodian territory, the spokesperson said the RTAF remains focused on military targets under Thailand’s “right of self-defence”. It consequently that Thailand could feel the necessity to further attack territories deep inside Cambodia.

The violence marks a further escalation in the long-running Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, renewing fears of broader conflict just months after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in December. The French Foreign Ministry, other European partners as well as Australia have urged immediate de-escalation and a return to dialogue, stressing the need to protect civilians and cultural heritage.

Travel advisories from France and other governments now recommend avoiding border areas entirely. Australia travel website Smartraveller.gov.au advises not to travel to areas within 50 km of the Cambodia-Thailand border. It also asks to reconsider to travel within an additional 30 km of that border in the provinces of Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Siem Reap, Battambang (including all of Battambang city), Pursat, and Koh Kong.

Meanwhile, humanitarian groups warn that continued fighting could deepen the crisis for thousands of displaced residents across the region.