When the temples are still bleeding: Thailand-Cambodia, a war of memories
By Arnaud Leveau (PhD), President of Asia Centre
The armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in 2025 cannot be reduced to a simple border dispute. They are part of a deep historical rivalry, regularly reactivated by domestic political dynamics, cross-border economic interests and fragile governance. The border serves less as a cause than as a catalyst, offering a breeding ground for crises of legitimacy in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. ASEAN’s inability to prevent escalation and the increasing reliance on external mediation, particularly from China and the United States, underscore the limits of regional security mechanisms. In the absence of a structural treatment of internal vulnerabilities, the conflict is bound to recur, to the detriment of the populations living in the borders area.
Summary:
- A long-standing dispute
- 2025: The spark that reignited the fire
- Cambodian reasons: diversion, economy and settling of scores
- Thai reasons: domestic politics and national affirmation
- Human, economic and symbolic consequences
- ASEAN powerless
- An endless conflict?
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