Thailand halts Laos fuel shipments at a border checkpoint amid fears the supplies could be diverted to Cambodia, where a fierce border clash is raging.
Both Thai and Cambodian militaries report ongoing clashes along their 817-kilometer shared frontier, with fighting showing no signs of easing despite international diplomacy, including efforts spearheaded by the United States. A high-level Southeast Asian foreign ministers meeting, initially slated to convene on Tuesday, has been postponed to December 22 at Thailand’s request.
The rivals have long disputed parts of the boundary, but the current conflict’s scale and intensity—from inland forests near the Laos border to coastal provinces—are unprecedented in recent memory. More than half a million people have been displaced, and at least 38 combatants have died in eight days of fighting, according to national authorities who coordinated evacuations in July after a five-day clash that briefly ceded the spotlight to a Trump-brokered ceasefire.
Thailand’s defense ministry described a security assessment indicating fuel shipments via Chong Mek into Laos were being routed toward Cambodian troops, prompting the halt at the border. “Our goal is not to adversely affect the Lao people or government,” said Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri at a press briefing.
Laos did not immediately respond to inquiries seeking comment. The Thai navy is also weighing restrictions on Thai vessels entering high-risk Cambodian waters, though officials stress that these precautions would not disrupt fuel shipments from other countries.
Trade sources indicate Cambodia relies heavily on imported refined fuels—gasoline, gasoil, and jet fuel—via maritime routes, though precise market shares are not confirmed. Data from Kpler show Singapore as Cambodia’s largest supplier this year, with roughly 915,000 metric tons shipped so far, while Thai exports to Cambodia have dropped to about 30,000 tons this year from nearly 180,000 tons last year.
Thailand’s energy ministry asserted that no oil exports to Cambodia occurred after July. Fighting persists in at least nine frontier locations, with intense exchanges across four border provinces, including maritime zones. Cambodian officials report Thai forces using drones and heavy artillery in several areas, and accuse Thailand of deploying F-16s and carrying out airstrikes in Siem Reap province, home to Angkor Wat.
Cambodia’s defense spokesperson highlighted a noticeable rise in Thai jets and cluster munitions employed against Cambodian targets. Thailand maintains a military edge, boasting a larger navy and one of Southeast Asia’s most capable air forces, equipped with 28 F-16s and 11 Gripen jets.
Both sides blame the other for undermining July’s Trump-brokered truce, which had evolved into a broader framework intended to resolve the conflict, with discussions resuming in October.
Bangkok insists that any end to hostilities must begin with a unilateral ceasefire and a concrete proposal, while Phnom Penh contends it is defending itself against perceived aggressions.
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