Military news, December 9, 2025, Avia.pro. The Royal Thai Navy has stepped up operations along the border with Cambodia, announcing the launch of a military operation in the coastal province of Trat. This was reported on Tuesday by The Nation newspaper, citing a statement from navy spokesman Rear Admiral Parat Ratanachaipan.

According to him, intelligence confirmed the establishment of a new base by Cambodian troops on Thai territory near the village of Ban Nong Ri, Chamrak subdistrict, Muang district. "Cambodian forces have strengthened their presence by deploying special forces, snipers, multiple launch rocket system launchers, as well as digging trenches and deploying drones to monitor our positions," Ratanachaipan noted. Thailand, he emphasized, has repeatedly held negotiations at all levels to achieve a peaceful withdrawal of the enemy, but to no avail.

The operation, conducted jointly with national security forces, is based on the right to self-defense under international law. "We use force only as necessary and proportionate as necessary to prevent escalation and protect sovereignty and the safety of local residents," the naval spokesman added. All actions are coordinated from a central command center.

The conflict escalated amid a long-standing territorial dispute inherited from the colonial era. In May 2025, the death of a Cambodian soldier triggered a massive troop buildup and a diplomatic rupture. Summer clashes in July claimed dozens of lives but led to a ceasefire brokered by Malaysia and US President Donald Trump. Current incidents, including airstrikes and artillery shelling, have spread to seven of Thailand's eight border provinces, forcing the evacuation of more than 438 people. Cambodia denies aggression, accusing Bangkok of provocations and attacks on civilian targets.