Thai Military Shelling Reportedly Hits PTT Gas Station Amid Border Clashes

The long-running border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia appear to have taken a new turn on December 11, 2025, with reports emerging that Thai military forces fired artillery shells that struck a PTT gas station in Cambodian territory near the O’Smach border crossing.

According to initial news reports, Thai military units opened fire toward positions near the O’Smach crossing, and explosive ordnance impacted the fueling complex, igniting a fire at the station. Local responders were deployed to control the blaze.

Incident Context and Border Escalation

This shooting incident adds to a broader backdrop of renewed hostilities along the Thailand–Cambodia border. In recent weeks, both nations have accused each other of ceasefire violations following the breakdown of earlier truces. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced, and clashes involving artillery, rockets, and air strikes have been reported on both sides.

Thailand’s armed forces have cited threats from Cambodian artillery systems, including BM-21 and other rocket launchers believed capable of reaching civilian infrastructure, as justification for defensive and preemptive operations. Cambodian authorities, for their part, maintain that they are responding to perceived Thai military provocations and have denied targeting civilian facilities.

Historical Precedent: Gas Station Strikes

Earlier in July 2025, multiple rocket strikes — attributed to Cambodian forces by Thai officials — struck a PTT gas station and adjacent convenience store in Sisaket Province, killing and injuring civilians. Eyewitness accounts described significant destruction, panic, and urgent evacuations of nearby residents.

International observers have expressed concern over the repeated shelling of civilian infrastructure during the conflict, noting that unguided rockets and artillery pose serious risks under international humanitarian law when used in populated areas.

Diplomatic and Security Implications

The latest reported shelling at O’Smach is likely to heighten diplomatic tensions and draw fresh international scrutiny. Both Bangkok and Phnom Penh face growing pressure from ASEAN partners and global institutions to de-escalate hostilities and return to negotiated talks.