At Least Four Cambodian Casinos Damaged by Thai Bombing as Border Conflict Moves Towards Poipet

Renewed military tensions between Thailand and Cambodia’s border regions this December have seen combat actions escalate near Poipet — a Cambodian border town famed for its cluster of casinos that attract Thai gamblers and cross-border visitors. According to Cambodian authorities, Thai air strikes and bombings have damaged at least four casinos along the border and hit a logistics centre near the Poipet casino hub in Banteay Meanchey province, intensifying a long-running territorial dispute between the two neighbours.

Cambodian government sources reported that Thai forces dropped bombs close to Poipet, home to numerous international casinos and a key land crossing with Thailand; the strikes reportedly damaged buildings and disrupted what had been one of the busiest gambling and transit areas in the region. Thailand’s military framed the attacks as strikes against logistics centres and military facilities, asserting such sites were used to store munitions and support operations against Thai forces. 

The conflict itself stems from a broader border dispute that reignited in late 2025 after the collapse of earlier ceasefire agreements, with both sides exchanging artillery, drone and aerial attacks along segments of their 800-kilometre frontier. Cambodia’s interior ministry emphasised that the bombings had affected civilian structures including casinos, while Thailand maintained it was targeting legitimate military-related infrastructure. 

The fighting has had wider impacts beyond military casualties, including border closures and the stranding of thousands of Thai nationals in Poipet after entry points were shut for safety reasons. The disruption has not only affected tourism and cross-border commerce but also sparked diplomatic tensions, with regional intermediaries pushing for a ceasefire to prevent further escalation. 

International and ASEAN diplomatic efforts have continued alongside the clashes, as Thailand and Cambodia confront both historical territorial disagreements and the immediate humanitarian fallout, including large-scale displacement of civilians near the border. Analysts note that the damage to casinos underscores how the conflict has shifted from isolated skirmishes to broader impacts on economic hubs and civilian infrastructure that connect the two countries.