Cambodia pulls team out of SEA Games in Thailand over border conflict

BANGKOK: Cambodia on Wednesday withdrew its team from the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand for safety reasons, as a border conflict between the two neighbours raged for a third day.

AI Brief

Cambodia withdraws its Olympic team from Bangkok Games after families raise safety concerns amid border fighting.
Renewed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia kill at least 14 and injure 88, shattering Trump-brokered July truce.
Heavy artillery and air strikes have displaced hundreds of thousands as tensions escalate near the border.

In a letter to organisers, the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia said it made the decision due to "serious concerns" and requests from families of athletes to allow them to return home.

Fighting erupted between Thailand and Cambodia on Monday, the second major flare-up between them this year, derailing a fragile truce brokered in July by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by heavy exchanges of artillery from both sides and air strikes by Thai fighter jets. Officials say least 14 people have been killed and 88 injured in this week's clashes.

"NOCC must withdraw all of our delegation and arrange for their prompt return to Cambodia for safety reasons," the committee said in the letter, dated December 10 and released on Wednesday, a day after the team attended the opening ceremony of the Games in Bangkok.

"The decision was not made lightly," it said.

Cambodia was ranked fourth in the medals table when it hosted the last Games in 2023. This year's edition is being contested in Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla.