Thread by @Nrg8000

🧵A detailed timeline on escalations in the lead-up to yesterday's clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.
Much of the escalation seems to stem from Cambodia, with their troops fortifying many sectors before the May 28 clashes and surging strategic assets immediately after.
🗺️ - heatmap of Cambodian military developments prior to July 24th.

2025-02-13. The immediate tensions seem to originate from an incident on February 13, when a group of Cambodian soldiers escorted civilians to visit an ancient temple. The group reportedly sang the Cambodian national anthem and was later stopped by Thai security officials.

2025-02-17. Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai expressed concern over the recent provocative incident involving Cambodian troops in Ta Muen Thom, stating that he does not want the incident to escalate into a conflict.

2025-02-21. Second Army Area commander Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang visited Prasat Ta Muen Thom to give encouragement to the Suranaree Taskforce and 'build understanding with the Cambodian military'.

2025-02-28. Satellite imagery shows that between Feburary 23rd and Feburary 28th, Cambodian troops cleared and improved a frontline road at the Sam Yaek Lao junction, Chong Bok. This is the first dectable tactical improvement by Cambodian forces along the border.

2025-03-15. Around mid-March, Cambodian troops began constructing a road to the strategic Phnom Prasitthi hilltop. Opposite the Thai Khao Sattasom position

2025-03-23. Between March 18th and March 23rd, Cambodian troops heavily fortified the strategic Phnom Prasitthi hilltop base. Opposite the Thai Khao Sattasom position

2025-03-20. Cambodian defence minister General Tea Seiha postponed scheduled talks with his Thai counterpart Phumtham Wechayachai over border issues

2025-03-20. Soldiers, following a request from Thailand, removed a shack that was being used as a rest area for Cambodian patrols along the border near Boeung Trakoun. The footage shows Cambodian troops acting aggressively and pointing fingers at their Thai counterparts.

2025-03-25. Between March 15th and March 25th, Cambodian troops established a newly fortified position at Hill-641 in the Chong Bok Area, within 300m of the border.

Aerial imagery from later shows how substantial this fortified outpost is.

2025-04-07. Between March 28th and April 7th, Cambodian troops establish a secondary outpost on the road to Phomn Phrasitthi Outpost, roughly 500m from the Thai Prasat Don Tuan position.

2025-04-28. Between April 7th and April 22nd, Thai troops cleared and built a substantial new road straddling the border near Prasat Ta Muen Thom, from the temple complex to the road junction at 14.336, 103.229. This is the first tactical improvement of Thai border positions.

2025-04-29. The Thai and Cambodian infantry commanders met at Prasat Ta Muen Thom, apologised, and pledged to handle future border disputes directly without letting emotions take over.

2025-05-01. The Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee's 17th meeting in Bangkok discussed three sensitive areas: Ta Muen Thom Temple, Chong Bok, and Chong Arn Ma. Both sides verbally agreed to de-escalate by withdrawing troops and reducing reinforcements to 2024 levels.

2025-05-18. Thai troops in the Chong Bok Area discovered fortifications being dug by Cambodian troops in the overlapping claims area near Hill 745, the Cambodian troops temporarily pulled back on request from the Thai side.

2025-05-21. Between May 9th and May 21st, Cambodian troops establish a newly fortified position at Hill-745 in the Chong Bok Area

2025-05-21. Between May 14th and May 21st, Cambodian Troops fortify a new position at Hill-574.

For anyone wanting more precise coordinates of outposts in the Chong Bok area:
Sam Yaek Lao: 14.34522, 105.1993
Hill-641: 14.32469. 105.17517
Hill-745: 14.30897, 105.17137
Hill-574: 14.33792, 105.17731
Hill-570: 14.34528, 105.17511
Chom Kachak Hill: 14.31824, 105.19996
Damnak Tuk Chhom Base: 14.26362, 105.15071
Battalion 393 Command HQ: 14.33972, 105.20508

2025-05-28. Early in the morning, Thai soldiers approached Cambodian troops digging fortifications on the edge of the disputed territory in Chong Bok, and a brief exchange of fire was held. A Cambodian Warrant Officer was killed in the clash.

2025-05-29. Cambodian forces began a significant movement of elite troops and strategic assets towards the Cambodian border, with Rapid Deployment Special Forces, Counter-Terrorism Special Forces, Rocket Artillery, Armoured units and Air Defence units moving towards the Preah Vihear Royal Guard Command HQ. An estimated 800-1,000 troops were surged to the theatre, with additional reserve forces ready for deployment.

2025-05-30. Cambodian forces mobilised several major artillery pieces towards the border, with around a dozen SH-1 155mm self-propelled artillery vehicles moving from the artillery command in Preah Vihear to the border, along with reconnaissance and command vehicles.

2025-05-30. Nine of these artillery vehicles moved towards the Prasat Ta Muen Thom sector, three moved towards Chong Bok.

2025-06-01. Thai Infantry Fighting Vehicles had been moved up to the border in Aranyaprathet district, for operational preparedness checks.

2025-06-03. Hing Bun Hieng, the commander of President Hun Sen's personal Royal Guard command, led more troops and artillery towards the Emerald Triangle Sector

2025-06-05. By June 5th, the Thai army had mobilised Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry divisions towards the border.

2025-06-04. The Cambodian Prime Minister clarified that Cambodia would not participate in the June 14th Joint Boundary Commission meeting. Instead, he announced plans to bring the issue to the ICJ, focusing on Chong Bok, Ta Muen Thom Temple, Ta Muen Tot Temple, and Ta Kwai Temple areas.

2025-06-05. Between May 31st and June 5th, Cambodian forces moved around 30 T-55 Tanks to the Preah Vihear border area, positioning them at the intersection between Preah Vihear temple and Phnom Prasitthi outpost

2025-06-05. A joint patrol and coordination meeting occurred near Santi Phiab.
2025-06-07. Thai Border Authorities restrict hours/uses at 3 N Thai-Cambodian border crossings.
2025-06-08. Cambodian and Thai forces agreed in the Chong Bok area to remove fortifications & return to 2024 positions.

2025-06-12. In the week to June 12th, two Joint Coordination meetings and a joint patrol were held.
2025-06-14. The Thai Army Spokesman announces that Cambodian troops had deployed long-range artillery assets to the border and aimed them at Thailand, specifically Kantharalak.

2025-06-15. Thai troops improved a road leading from Hill-469 to Hill-745. Cambodia maintains fortified positions at Hill-745, and the watershed boundary splits the peak of that hill. (Because of the monsoon season, its hard to get clear satellite imagery now)

2025-06-19. In the week to June 19th, there were 5 joint coordination meetings and 6 joint patrols held between Thai and Cambodian forces

2025-06-18. A phone call between Hun Sen and the Thai Prime Minister was leaked online, from Cambodian sources. This leak was highly destabilising and sparked intense criticism of the Pheu Thai-led government, with PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra calling army officials "the opposing side" and referring to Hun Sen as "Uncle".

2025-06-19. A company of Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory and set up temporary positions near Boeng Thomothom, before withdrawing 90 minutes later after discussions were held with the Cambodian command.

2025-06-20. Cambodian troops with the Royal Guard command built fortifications upwards of 300m into Thailand-claimed territory in the vicinity of the Damnak Tuk Chhom outpost.

2025-06-19. Thai army troops closed the Chong An Ma border crossing.
2025-06-21. Thailand closed the Chong Sai Taku Border Crossing.
2025-06-22. On June 22nd, the Cambodian Prime Minister ordered the closure of 2 border crossings.
2025-06-23. On June 23rd, Cambodia suspended all imports of oil and gas from Thailand.

2025-06-23. On June 23rd, the Thai army closed all border crossings between Cambodia and Thailand in Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Buri Ram, and Sa Kaeo provinces.

2025-06-25. 500+ rounds of BM-21 Rockets, nearly 500,000 AK rounds and thousands of anti-air rounds and RPGs were transferred from Ream Naval Base in Shianoukville to frontline units in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces along the border

2025-06-26. Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen threatened figurehead Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra with the disclosure of further conversations, including allegations that Thaksin had insulted the monarchy.

2025-06-30. A Cambodian patrol near Damnak Tuk Chhom encountered a Thai patrol. Upon meeting, they both asserted that the territory was their own. Some of the Cambodian patrol 'blocked' ("จำกัดความเคลื่อนไหว") the Thai patrol while the rest of the group continued their patrol. This occurred approx 1.5km south of the base.

2025-07-01. Cambodian troops planted around 120 PMN-2 Landmines on the eastern aspect of Hill 570.
2025-07-03. Between July 1st and July 3rd, the Cambodian Engineering Battalion no. 392 planted over 300 landmines on the eastern slopes of Hill-570
2025-07-10. A further 100 landmines were planted by Cambodian forces in the Emerald Triangle area

2025-07-04. Cambodian short-range air defence vehicles deployed to the Chong Bok sector

2025-07-08. Thai police raided over a dozen locations linked to a close associate of Hun Sen, a tycoon allegedly also linked to scam centre operations in Poipet.
2025-07-15. An argument took place between Thai and Cambodian troops at the Tam Muen Thom temple site, following a previous altercation between a Cambodian tourist and a Thai soldier. The Cambodian troops, who had entered the site, ordered Thailand to withdraw, but the situation was resolved without further issue.

2025-07-16. A Thai Army patrol unit from Ranger Company 2302 (Dusit Unit) stepped on a landmine in the Chong Bok area. The Private who stepped on the mine needed his foot amputated.
2025-07-15. Two unexploded landmines are located by a Thai patrol with the 6021st Infantry Regiment in the Chong Bok area.

2025-07-23. A Thai Army patrol with the 14th Infantry Battalion stepped on a landmine in the Huai Bon, Chong An Ma area. A Sergeant First Class was severely injured and needed a leg amputated. Four other soldiers were lightly injured.

2025-07-24. Clashes broke out starting at around 8am in the Ta Muen Thom temple area, with widespread artillery attacks killing 11 Thai civilians, and 1 soldier killed in action.

The heatmap shows Cambodian military action on JUl 24th.

In a crude tally of my spreadsheet, I count approximately 33 escalatory events instigated by Cambodia, 14 escalatory events instigated by Thailand, and 9 joint desescalatory events.

If we limit it to pre-May 28th it is 10 to 3 to 5.

When I was working on this timeline, I decided to go back to the start of the year as a clear cut off. This seems mostly justified by the evidence, but I do have questions about the construction of a road in Preah Vihear temple in July last year. If anyone had details on this!

Also note, through this timeline, I don't specify who fired first in the specific engagements in May and July. I don't think the existing evidence is conclusive enough to know who fired first in either case. The thread is more about general tactical and strategic posturing.