Chong An Ma now 100% under control as clashes and casualties continue
Thai army says it now fully controls Chong An Ma and Hill 677 in Ubon Ratchathani after heavy clashes, as one more Thai soldier is killed and border fighting with Cambodia continues
At a 4pm briefing on December 12, 2025, at the Joint Press Centre on the Thai–Cambodian Situation, Defence Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Surasan Kongsiri said the front remained tense throughout the day, with Cambodian troops launching repeated attacks into Thai territory in the morning.
Around 12pm, a soldier from the 1st Special Forces Regiment was killed when Cambodian forces fired heavy weapons into the Chong An Ma sector. In response, the Royal Thai Army mounted counter-attacks and seized Hill 677, a key position dominating the area.
“Thailand now has full control of this area,” Surasan said, adding that Cambodian troops have continued to shell Thai positions and that firefights are still ongoing.
On the eastern seaboard, he said the Royal Thai Navy’s Marine Corps is sustaining Operation ‘Trat Prap Porapak” (Trat Suppresses Foes),’ to counter Cambodian moves near Ban Tha Sen in Trat, where Phnom Penh has pushed additional heavy weapons up to the border. The Royal Thai Air Force is providing continuous air support to ground operations by both the army and navy.
Army deputy spokesman Colonel Richa Suksuwan also addressed viral images of a white flag near Preah Vihear, saying checks with units on the ground confirmed that combat is still under way with heavy weapons, so the flag “cannot be regarded as any sign of surrender”.
On the diplomatic front, Maratee Andamo, Deputy Director-General of the Information Department, MFA, said the Consulate-General in Siem Reap has advised Thai nationals in Cambodia to return home via any remaining open routes. She said the ministry is maintaining contact with Cambodian authorities at all levels, as many Thais still cannot leave the country due to the security situation.
Officials said 259,121 people have so far been displaced by the conflict and are staying in temporary shelters. One more civilian, who had a chronic illness and struggled to access timely treatment amid the crisis, has died, bringing the total civilian death toll to five.
In total, 20 hospitals and 212 sub-dritrict-level health promotion facilities have been affected by the fighting. The armed forces reiterated that they will continue operations to defend Thailand’s sovereignty while protecting civilians along the border.
