UPDATE: Bangkok – Thailand has issued its strongest condemnation yet of Cambodian military forces following cross-border attacks that killed 12 Thai civilians, including two children, and wounded 35 others in what officials are calling a blatant violation of international law.

Thailand Conducts Retaliatory Airstrike on Cambodia as Border Conflict Escalates

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin denounced Thursday’s assault as a “grave breach of the Geneva Conventions,” particularly highlighting the shelling of Phra Nom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin province. “Targeting medical facilities is not just an attack on Thailand – it’s an attack on humanity itself,” Somsak stated during an emergency press conference Friday morning.

🚨⚡️ Effects of Cambodia's rocket attack on Thailand's Surin Province.pic.twitter.com/BGwFP5qWxI

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The deadly barrage struck four border provinces simultaneously, with Si Sa Ket suffering the heaviest toll – eight dead including a 15-year-old student, and 15 wounded. In Surin, an 8-year-old child was among two civilians killed, while five soldiers were injured defending the area. Ubon Ratchathani reported one fatality and Buriram recorded one injury, completing a casualty list that included eight military personnel among the wounded.

Somsak invoked Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which grants special protection to civilian hospitals during conflicts, calling Cambodia’s actions “unforgivable war crimes.” He demanded Phnom Penh immediately cease hostilities, accept responsibility, and provide compensation to victims’ families.

The Cambodian government isn’t just behind this war — they’re inciting it with shameless lies. Their minister brags about winning while brainwashing their people with false hope and fake victories. This isn’t patriotism. It’s reckless, deadly propaganda.#Cambodia #Thailand https://t.co/6m3aTY7FuD

— slow~ งานยุ่ง (@waanraranattha) July 24, 2025

The ministry has mobilized emergency medical teams to border hospitals, where many victims remain in critical condition with shrapnel wounds. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry is preparing to bring the case before the United Nations Security Council, with diplomats citing multiple eyewitness accounts and security camera footage showing Cambodian BM-21 Grad rockets striking clearly marked medical facilities.

Cambodian Rocket Attacks Kill Nine Thai Civilians in Escalating Border Conflict

As thousands of civilians flee border districts, the Thai army has begun constructing reinforced bunkers near vulnerable communities. The escalating crisis marks the deadliest outbreak of violence between the neighbors since the 2011 Preah Vihear temple clashes, with no signs of de-escalation despite international calls for restraint.

-Thailand News (TN)