BaANGKOK – The escalating conflict along the Thai-Cambodian border has claimed the life of a fifth Thai soldier, identified as 20-year-old Private Therdsak Srilachai of the 3rd Infantry Battalion. The young soldier, a native of Ban Phusing in Si Sa Ket province, died from severe shrapnel wounds sustained from a Cambodian BM-21 rocket during fighting near Khana Temple in Surin. He succumbed to his injuries while being treated at Phanom Dong Rak Hospital.

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Private Therdsak, who had lived with relatives since childhood after the passing of his parents, has been widely mourned online, with Thais honoring him as a brave serviceman who sacrificed his life defending the nation’s territory.

Amid the continued hostilities, the Royal Thai Air Force conducted targeted airstrikes on Cambodian military facilities and alleged scam centers. At approximately 9:59 a.m., Thai F-16 fighter jets bombed an arms depot, a maintenance center, and a tank storage facility located about 30 kilometers inside Cambodian territory, opposite Ban Nong Chan village in Sa Kaeo. Later, around 11:10 a.m., an F-16 and a Gripen fighter struck a former casino in O Samet, across from the Chong Chom border pass in Surin. Thai authorities stated the casino had been repurposed by Cambodian forces as a base for launching explosive-laden drones and storing heavy weaponry, including BM-21 multi-rocket systems.

The ongoing clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have claimed the life of a fifth Thai soldier, prompting an outpouring of grief and tributes across social media platforms.

He was a native of Ban Phusing in Si Sa Ket’s Phusing district.

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The humanitarian impact of the conflict continues to grow. The Second Army Region reported that over 170,000 Thai civilians have sought refuge in 696 temporary shelters across Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Buri Ram provinces. Additionally, more than 4,000 vulnerable individuals—including the disabled, elderly, and sick—are being housed separately in 75 locations. In an effort to support morale, the army has organized recreational activities at the shelters.

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Ground clashes remain active on multiple fronts. In Sa Kaeo, the First Army Region reported engagements on five fronts, including exchanges of artillery and mortar fire in Ban Klong Paeng and Ban Nong Ya Kaew, minor small-arms clashes in Ban Nong Chan and Ban Klong Luek, and Thai artillery firing on three Cambodian armored personnel carriers in Klong Hat district. Thai forces maintain control of several border villages and continue to reinforce their positions.

-Thailand News (TN)