The ongoing military confrontation between Thailand and Cambodia has intensified dramatically, with deadly artillery exchanges killing at least 15 people in Thailand and one in Cambodia.

As violence spreads across the disputed border region, more than 120,000 civilians have been forced to flee their homes, seeking safety in evacuation centers.

Clashes continued into a second day on Friday, marking the bloodiest confrontation between the two Southeast Asian nations in over a decade. Thai authorities reported fighting in 12 separate locations, doubling from six the day before, signaling a significant widening of the conflict. Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a Thai military spokesperson, confirmed that Cambodian forces continued to employ heavy weaponry, prompting Thai troops to respond with "appropriate supporting fire."

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health confirmed 14 civilian fatalities and the death of one soldier, with at least 30 civilians and 15 soldiers wounded. On the Cambodian side, authorities in Oddar Meanchey province said one civilian was killed and five others injured due to Thai shelling.

The escalating violence has triggered a mass displacement of civilians. Thailand’s Ministry of Interior reported that over 100,000 people from the border provinces of Surin, Sisaket, Buriram, and Ubon Ratchathani have been relocated to temporary shelters. Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, meanwhile, has seen nearly 20,000 people flee their homes, according to the Khmer Times.

Thai authorities have opened more than 300 evacuation centers and are providing food, water, and medical aid. "It is very hard to see how many people are here in the evacuation center… because there are people arriving all the time,” said a Thai official, describing the frontier as “very long and porous,” complicating relief efforts.

The fighting has also taken a toll on cultural heritage. Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts accused Thai strikes of causing "substantial damage" to the ancient Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Phnom Penh Post reported the temple had been shelled before dawn on Friday.

Both countries have blamed each other for initiating the violence, which erupted in a disputed section of their shared border. While Thailand claimed it scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to target Cambodian positions, Cambodia reportedly launched long-range rockets into Thai territory, hitting civilian areas.

Allegations of war crimes have surfaced as well. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority accused Thailand of using cluster munitions twice in a 90-minute span in Preah Vihear province — a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting to address the rapidly deteriorating situation. Meanwhile, regional and global powers have begun to weigh in. The United States, a treaty ally of Thailand, has called for an immediate ceasefire, while China, a close ally of Cambodia, urged both sides to resolve the dispute peacefully through dialogue.

Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned on Friday that the fighting could spiral into a full-scale war if not contained swiftly. “For now, the clashes have involved heavy weapons,” he told reporters.

As the region holds its breath, the international community continues to call for de-escalation and the protection of civilians caught in the crossfire. (ILKHA)