Shockwaves for Tea Banh: Thai navy hits Koh Kong, F-16s strike Thmor Dar casino

The Royal Thai Navy opened fire from the sea to destroy Cambodian military gun positions along the coast at about 2am on December 13, near Ban Pak Khlong, Koh Yor, opposite Ban Hat Lek in Khlong Yai district, Trat. The strike followed reports that Cambodian coastal guns had attempted to engage Thai warships.

Chhi Va, the governor of Koh Kong, ordered residents to evacuate to temporary shelters in Koh Kong district, Koh Kong province. Cambodian social media was soon flooded with photos and clips showing panicked residents fleeing their homes.

Earlier this year, Koh Kong remained a key business and political stronghold for Tea Banh, widely seen as a powerful behind-the-scenes figure. Cambodia’s navy has also long been associated with the “Tea” family, from Adm Tea Vinh, Tea Banh’s younger brother, to Lt Gen Tea Sokha, Tea Vinh’s son.

CTBDC launches tri-domain operation

Since the outbreak of the second round of the Thailand–Cambodia conflict, the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command (CTBDC) has launched an operation dubbed “Trat Prab Proropak”, combining operations across sea, air and land to safeguard Thai sovereignty.

According to Thai accounts, the clash in Koh Kong was triggered by four 130mm gun emplacements, which allegedly tried to fire on Thai naval vessels. Thai warships then responded by bombarding two of the 130mm positions in the Ban Pak Khlong, Koh Yor area of Koh Kong.

As Koh Kong was not originally among Thailand’s stated military targets, the overnight explosions and gunfire reportedly sparked mass evacuations, with large numbers of residents leaving their homes. 

Media outlets linked to Hun Mana, a daughter of Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, shared evacuation imagery alongside the hashtag #prayforkohkong in a bid to amplify nationalist sentiment.

Casino for Cambodia’s elite

The CTBDC and the Royal Thai Air Force have been conducting “Trat Prab Proropak” since December 8, 2025, focusing on Veal Veang district in Pursat province.

At dawn on December 13, the navy reportedly requested air support, and F-16s were deployed to strike an alleged supply route at Chay Chum Nea Bridge in Ban Thmor Dar, Veal Veang district, Pursat. 

The jets also dropped bombs in the vicinity of a casino complex known as the Thmor Dar Diamond International Hotel in Ban Thmor Dar, opposite Ban Tha Sen in Laem Klat subdistrict, Mueang Trat district, Trat.

Since 2015, the Ban Tha Sen–Thmor Dar checkpoint has been widely known among gamblers as the “Tha Sen” or “Thmor Dar” casino area. 

In 2017, Cambodia designated Ban Thmor Dar as a special economic zone, with Heng He Group, a Chinese investor, leasing concessions from the Cambodian government to develop a new project promoted as “Thmor Dar City”.

Thai media reports have also linked Cambodian tycoon “Oknha Tri Pheap” to investments with Chinese business interests, including the Thmor Dar casino, noting his close ties to Bun Rany, Hun Sen’s wife.

Another account describes Siem Reap, Battambang, Pursat and Koh Kong as areas of influence associated with Tea Banh and his son, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Seiha.

The Thmor Dar casino area is also described as one of 17 disputed points where Cambodia is alleged to have encroached on Thai territory—an issue the navy has sought to address for years without success.