Thai air force bombs bridge in Cambodia after border troop buildup
The Royal Thai Air Force bombed a bridge in Pursat province, Cambodia, early this morning, December 13, after the Thai navy reported increased Cambodian military reinforcements near the border.
Two F-16 fighter jets were deployed to destroy the Chum Nea bridge in the Thmor Da area, which Thai authorities said was being used as a key logistics route for Cambodian troops. The operation was carried out following several days of surveillance by Thai forces along the Trat border.
Captain Thammanoon Wanna, commander of the Trat Marine Task Force, said the navy requested air force support after confirming continued troop movements on the Cambodian side.
The jets reportedly circled the target area twice before dropping the first bomb at 6am, followed by additional strikes at 6.07am and 6.12am. Initial assessments confirmed damage to the bridge, while there were no immediate reports of retaliation from Cambodian forces.
According to Bangkok Post, tensions along the border had been rising hours earlier. Cherdsak Chumnaseo, chief of Khlong Yai district, said gunfire was heard from around 2am near the border between Thai troops and a Cambodian military base in Koh Kong.
As a precaution, about 50 to 60 residents from Hat Lek subdistrict in Khlong Yai were evacuated to safer areas.
Cambodian media later reported that more than 20 rounds were fired near a village in Koh Kong, prompting urgent evacuations. A police source said the Cambodian military base, which reportedly houses artillery units, is located near a casino and a power plant in the Koh Yor area.
Officials added that Thai nationals in Koh Kong were coordinating their return to Thailand today. Once civilians are fully evacuated, authorities warned the situation could further escalate.
In a separate development this morning, a suspected BM-21 rocket strike hit a Thai village in Sisaket’s Kantharalak district, injuring two men and destroying two homes.
BM-21 rockets were reportedly fired from Cambodian territory, with the incident first reported by the Army Military Force Facebook page.
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