The number of Thai civilian casualties from Cambodian artillery attacks has risen to 12, with more than 30 others injured, according to a statement from the Royal Thai Army on Thursday. Among the dead is an eight-year-old boy.
The shelling occurred after Cambodian forces launched artillery into Thai territory, following an early morning assault on a Thai military base near Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province.
Thai authorities confirmed that as of 2:15 p.m., multiple civilian zones had been struck, resulting in deaths, injuries, and significant property damage.
The attacks affected four northeastern provinces. In Surin, two civilians, one an eight-year-old boy, were killed, four others injured, and five soldiers wounded.
In Ubon Ratchathani, one civilian was killed and four seriously injured. Sisaket suffered the heaviest toll, with eight civilians killed, including a 15-year-old, and 15 more injured.
One soldier was also killed in Sisaket, and two others wounded. In Buriram, one civilian was reported injured.
Damage to homes, farmland, and livestock has been reported in all impacted areas, with emergency services assessing the full extent of destruction.
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin condemned Cambodia’s actions, describing the attacks as “inhumane” and “a severe violation of human dignity and Thailand’s sovereignty.”
He said emergency medical response units had been dispatched to the affected regions, with additional personnel and resources mobilised to care for the wounded.
“The government will pursue all necessary measures to respond to the aggression and ensure the safety of its citizens,” Mr. Somsak said.
The Royal Thai Army issued a separate statement reinforcing its readiness to defend the country, describing the attacks as breaches of international humanitarian law.
“The Royal Thai Army strongly condemns the violent actions targeting civilians by Cambodian forces,” the statement read. “Thailand stands ready to defend its sovereignty and protect its people from such inhumane acts.”
Civilians Evacuated Amid Ongoing Shelling
In Surin’s Kap Choeng district, BM-21 rockets struck a village at around 9:40 am, killing two people and injuring two others. The victims were awaiting evacuation when the rockets hit.
District chief Sutthiroj Charoenthanasak confirmed that one of the victims was a 12-year-old child.
The ongoing threat prompted mass evacuations. Authorities began relocating up to 40,000 residents from 86 villages to temporary shelters in neighbouring Prasat district.
Mr. Sutthiroj said the shelters had adequate capacity and that most evacuees had arrived safely. However, he noted that damage assessments at the impact site have been delayed due to fears of continued artillery fire.
Patients from hospitals in Kap Choeng and Phanom Dong Rak were also being evacuated after rocket fire fell dangerously close to medical facilities near the Ta Muen temple ruins. Further casualties from those strikes have yet to be confirmed.
In a separate incident in Sisaket province, two people were killed and several more injured when Cambodian rockets struck a supermarket at a petrol station in Ban Phue.
Provincial governor Watthana Phutthichat confirmed the deaths, which were later identified by Fire and Rescue Thailand as students. A ThaiPBS reporter on site stated that their bodies were found in the rubble.
