Thailand says Cambodian rocket fire has caused its first civilian death in new border fighting

Thailand’s border dispute with Cambodia turned deadly on Sunday as rocket fire killed a 63-year-old Thai civilian, marking the first direct civilian combat death in a week of escalating violence between the neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

Don Patchapan was killed when a rocket struck a residential area in Kantharalak District of Thailand’s Sisaket province, according to Thai military officials. Associated Press reporters arrived at the scene shortly after the impact, witnessing the victim’s body being transported to an ambulance while a nearby house burned.

Thai Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat condemned the attack, calling Cambodia’s decision to target civilian areas “cruel and inhumane.” The rocket struck near a school in the heart of a residential zone.

The fighting, which began with a December 7 skirmish that wounded two Thai soldiers, has intensified over competing territorial claims along the shared border. These disputed areas include land containing centuries-old temple ruins, which have historical significance to both nations.

The human toll has been devastating, with more than two dozen military personnel officially reported killed and over half a million people displaced from border regions. Thailand has acknowledged 16 military fatalities and claims Cambodia has suffered at least 221 military deaths – a figure Cambodia dismisses as disinformation without providing its own count. Cambodia reports 11 civilian deaths and more than 70 wounded.

Witnesses described the terrifying impact of the attacks. Kanbancha Charoensri, who experienced Saturday’s rocket strike in another Kantharalak village, told reporters: “Houses that were hit directly were totally destroyed. The ground was shaking so much. It was so scary.”

The conflict has escalated technologically, with Cambodia deploying truck-mounted BM-21 rocket launchers capable of firing up to 40 rockets simultaneously across distances of 19-25 miles. These weapons, while powerful, lack precision targeting capabilities. Thai authorities report Cambodia has launched thousands of these rockets almost daily.

Thailand has responded with airstrikes using fighter jets, while both sides have employed surveillance and bombing drones. The conflict expanded to maritime dimensions on Saturday when a Thai Navy warship in the Gulf of Thailand exchanged fire with gun emplacements in Cambodia’s southwestern Koh Kong province, opening a new front in the hostilities.

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet sought to rally his nation on Sunday, expressing pride in his country’s strength “in this situation where our country is facing difficulties due to aggression from neighboring countries.”

Diplomatic efforts to end the violence have faltered. The current fighting shattered a ceasefire that had been brokered with U.S. involvement following earlier combat in July. Though U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that the countries had agreed to renew the ceasefire at his urging, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied making any such commitment, and Cambodia stated it was continuing to fight in self-defense.

The conflict centers on longstanding territorial disputes along the Thai-Cambodian border. These contested areas have been flashpoints for decades, with both nations claiming ownership based on different historical maps and treaties. The presence of ancient temple ruins in some disputed zones adds cultural and historical dimensions to the territorial disagreements.

While Thailand has previously reported civilian deaths during the renewed conflict, most had underlying health conditions and died during evacuation efforts. Sunday’s rocket attack represents a significant escalation as it directly killed a civilian in a populated area, raising concerns about further civilian casualties if the conflict continues to intensify.

International observers fear the conflict could destabilize the region if diplomatic solutions aren’t quickly found, as both countries continue to deploy increasingly powerful weapons systems along their shared border.