BANGKOK – The Thai military is escalating attacks on Cambodian drone launch sites, many of which are reportedly operating from casino buildings along the border, in response to sustained assaults using rockets, mortar rounds, and kamikaze drones. Ministry of Defence spokesman Rear Adm Surasant Kongsiri stated on Thursday that Thai positions, particularly in the Chong Bok and Chong An Ma areas of Ubon Ratchathani province, have come under heavy drone attack.

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According to Col Richa Suksuwanont, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, Cambodian forces are deploying drones against Thai soldiers who have left bunkers to retake areas previously encroached upon. In Trat province, Capt Nara Khunthothom of the Royal Thai Navy reported that personnel at Ban Chamrak village have covered their bases with donated nets to defend against unmanned aerial threats.

Air Force spokesman AM Jackkrit Thammavichai emphasized that preemptive strikes on drone storage and launch sites are the most effective countermeasure. The 2nd Army Area confirmed on social media that Cambodia has established drone control centers in several casinos and that Thailand is acting in self-defense by targeting these locations.

Thailand steps up strikes on Cambodian drone bases https://t.co/mTvzwIiNQk

— Scott Morgan (@confusedeagledc) December 11, 2025

In a notable operation on Tuesday, a Royal Thai Air Force JAS 39 Gripen fighter dropped high-explosive bombs on the Royal Hill Resort and Casino at O’Smach in Oddar Meanchey province, opposite Chong Chom in Surin. Thai intelligence identified the casino as a dual-purpose facility serving as a drone launch site, a concealment area for BM-21 multiple rocket launchers, a troop staging ground, and a base for call-center scammers. Initial reports indicate at least one security guard was killed and several others, including foreigners, were injured. The Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh has since announced it is investigating reports of Chinese nationals at the site and advised its citizens to evacuate border zones.

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Further air strikes were carried out Wednesday night on a Cambodian military command base and oil depot in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey, opposite Buri Ram’s Ban Kruat district. Local sources reported explosions audible more than ten kilometers away. Additional casino targets have been identified across from border areas in Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo, and Trat provinces.

-Thailand News (TN)