Thailand-Cambodia border: The political feud behind the fight

The countries have a history of occasional conflict, but this latest fight comes after an old friendship crumbled.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveThe fractured friendship behind the fight at the Thailand-Cambodia border17 hours agoShareSaveJonathan HeadSouth East Asia correspondentShareSaveWatch: People take shelter after gunfire breaks out between Thailand and Cambodia troopsCambodia and Thailand have a history of occasional conflict.

The two countries share a long and forested border with areas that both sides claim. There have been serious exchanges of fire in the past, too – in 2008 and 2011, clashes on a similar scale saw 40 people killed.

However, these were de-escalated relatively quickly.

Even as recently as this May, after an incident in which a Cambodian soldier was killed, both sides looked keen to prevent more violence, with meetings between army commanders from each country aimed at easing the tension.

But on Thursday, it erupted. Thai authorities said at least 15 people, all civilians apart from one, had been killed so far, as fighting continued on Friday.