SA KAEO — Tensions reached a boiling point at the Ban Nong Chan border area on Thursday as Thai and Cambodian civilians faced off across a barbed wire fence, prompting Thai military officials to issue a direct warning to former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to relocate villagers or face forced evacuation.

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The standoff began when scores of Thai protesters, waving national flags, gathered at the fence to assert sovereignty over Ban Nong Chan—a region Thailand insists is historically its territory. They demanded government action against Cambodian claims to the village, warning they would “handle it themselves” if officials failed to act. Cambodians mobilized in response, leading to heated verbal exchanges across the barrier.

The confrontation follows a violent incident on Wednesday where Cambodian protesters attempted to dismantle the fence using long sticks, prompting Thai soldiers to intervene without weapons. No physical weapons were used during Thursday’s protests, but tensions remained high.

Sa Kaew province remains under martial law, and Thai authorities warned they may enforce stricter measures if clashes continue. Thai Armed Forces Deputy Spokesman Maj. Gen. Wanchana Sawasdee, who was present at the scene, accused Hun Sen of dishonesty and encroachment.

CAMBODIA use violence.
Cambodians reviled Thai soldier & Thai people.

Stop lying. CAMBODIA is Trespasser.
CAMBODIA encroached on land of Thailand.#Cambodiapic.twitter.com/Uu4F9g0MTS

— 👄.ZEonlyUS🦐 (@ZZonlyZ) August 25, 2025

“Hun Sen is not a fool, but a cheat—that’s why he keeps trying to seize Thai land,” Wanchana stated. He demanded the evacuation of approximately 50 Cambodian households occupying nearly 60 rai of land in what Thailand considers its territory.

Thailand has called on Cambodia to prepare a relocation plan for the villagers and warned that if diplomatic demands are ignored, it may exercise its right to “push them back.” The dispute centers on Ban Nong Chan, which Thailand says was a humanitarian refugee camp for Cambodians in the past but remains sovereign Thai soil.

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The Cambodian government has yet to respond publicly to the latest warnings. The escalating tensions highlight the fragile state of border relations amid ongoing territorial disputes and historical grievances.

-Thailand News (TN)