The long-standing tension between Thailand and Cambodia has once again exploded into deadly violence. Clashes on Thursday near the Prasat Tamuan Thom Temple—a contested area near Cambodia’s Oda Mean Chey province—left at least two Thai civilians dead and several others wounded, including soldiers. The Thai military has confirmed at least six separate clashes along the border, including a Grad rocket attack launched into Thailand’s Surin Province, killing innocent Thai civilians.

Despite both sides accusing each other of opening fire first, the facts—and the context—strongly favor the Thai position. The area in question has been the subject of unresolved friction for decades, a result not of Thai aggression but of colonial-era boundary confusion imposed by the French during their rule in Indochina. Those arbitrary lines, drawn without respect for the free movement and ethnic mingling of local populations, were later used as justification for Cambodian claims—claims that have been politically weaponized again and again.

Cambodia has continuously escalated tensions, not only militarily but also through propaganda and political maneuvering. Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, despite having officially stepped down, remains the dominant figure behind the scenes and is now stirring nationalist passions online. His heavy involvement, especially through social media, has poured fuel on the fire—conveniently at a time when his son, the new prime minister, is trying to solidify the Hun family’s dynastic grip on Cambodian politics.

Meanwhile, Thailand has shown remarkable restraint and internal democratic accountability. Even amid political instability—highlighted by the temporary removal of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who had sought a conciliatory tone with Hun Sen—Thailand’s military has maintained defensive postures along the border. When landmines recently wounded a Thai soldier, initial confusion over their origins gave way to credible military reports implicating recent Cambodian activity.

Thailand’s patience, however, should not be mistaken for weakness. The Thai people are rightfully angry—not only at Cambodian provocations but also at years of international institutions ignoring or underestimating Thailand’s legitimate concerns. While the International Court of Justice (ICJ) once ruled in Cambodia’s favor over a nearby temple dispute, Thailand never accepted that decision—not out of obstinacy, but because it defied historical movement patterns, local cultural ties, and national sovereignty.

This latest bloodshed is not a spontaneous outbreak—it is a calculated escalation rooted in Cambodia’s internal political needs and a blatant disrespect for Thailand’s national borders. The Thai side has not only suffered civilian casualties but is once again being asked to show maturity and restraint while facing off against an unpredictable, provocatively posturing neighbor.

It is time for the international community to recognize the reality on the ground: Thailand is not the aggressor—it is the aggrieved. Its borders, culture, and people deserve respect, not rockets. Its soldiers are not invaders, but guardians. And its leaders, regardless of internal divisions, are justified in standing firm against Cambodia’s reckless behavior.

Thailand does not seek conflict. But if peace continues to be undermined by political showmanship and historical distortions from Phnom Penh, Thailand will—and must—defend its sovereignty with dignity, resolve, and the backing of global partners who value stability over manipulation.

It also urged the media and the public to refrain from sharing images or information related to troop movements, military equipment, or locations to safeguard operational security and prevent misuse by hostile actors. 

The Thai Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal protest with Cambodia, saying the landmines found in the area were newly deployed and had not been encountered during previous patrols.

The Thai government has also ordered the closure of all border checkpoints under the jurisdiction of Thailand's Second Army.

"Tourists are strictly prohibited from entering these border areas," it said.

In the landmine incident on Wednesday, the soldier sustained injuries and lost his right leg.

Earlier, Thailand accused Cambodia of placing landmines on the Thai side of the disputed border area after three soldiers were injured.

Cambodia denied the claim and said the soldiers had veered off agreed routes and triggered a mine left behind from decades of war. But in fact the landmine is newly produced, made in Russia, and such a landmine did not exist during the war. 

Thai authorities said the soldiers were injured, with one losing a foot, by a landmine while on a patrol on July 16 on the Thai side of the disputed border area between Ubon Ratchathani and Cambodia's Preah Vihear Province.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned the financial industry of a "significant impending fraud crisis" because of the ability of artificial intelligence tools to impersonate a person's voice to bypass security checks and move money. Altman spoke at a Federal Reserve conference Tuesday in Washington.

"A thing that terrifies me is apparently there are still some financial institutions that will accept the voiceprint as authentication," Altman said. "That is a crazy thing to still be doing. AI has fully defeated that."

Voiceprinting as an identification for wealthy bank clients grew popular more than a decade ago, with customers typically asked to utter a challenge phrase into the phone to access their accounts.

But now AI voice clones, and eventually video clones, can impersonate people in a way that Altman said is increasingly "indistinguishable from reality" and will require new methods for verification.

"That might be something we can think about partnering on," said Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, the central bank's top financial regulator, who was hosting the discussion with Altman.

A Billion-Dollar Boom for Podcasts

According to a recent report from research firm Owl & Co, the global podcast industry brought in $7.3 billion last year—more than double most prior estimates. This surge reveals that podcasting, still a relatively young entertainment format, is bringing in far more money than many insiders had previously realized.

Advertising accounts for the bulk of these revenues, with the rest coming from paid subscriptions. These numbers do not include live events, such as the wildly popular British political podcast The Rest is Politics, which sold out London’s O2 Arena for a live taping.

Joe Budden’s Accidental Disclosure

In this booming market, one of the most surprising success stories is that of Joe Budden, a former rapper once dubbed “the Howard Stern of hip-hop.” Last month, Budden unintentionally posted a screenshot from Patreon—a subscription platform where fans can pay creators directly. The image showed over 30 million views in 30 days.

While the revenue figures were blacked out, internet sleuths edited the image and discovered that Budden had likely earned over $900,000 in that single month, backed by more than 154,000 active subscribers. The figures quickly made headlines. Budden’s latest Patreon update and podcast episode even referenced the leak with a title that cheekily reads “Blackout the Numbers.”

On Track for $20 Million+ in 2025

According to Ian Schwartzman, CEO of the Joe Budden Network, the platform is now averaging $1.04 million per month on Patreon. “We have around 70,000 paying subscribers, with subscription tiers ranging from $5 to $50 per month. Higher tiers offer access to more content, including exclusive spin-off shows,” Schwartzman told The New York Times.

Budden’s Patreon offers four subscription levels:

• Homies ($5/month) – Ad-free episodes and bonus content.

• Family ($10/month)

• Friend of the Show ($25/month)

• Part of the Show ($50/month) – Includes a chance to appear on-air and have your name in the credits.

These subscription revenues alone could exceed $12 million in 2025, making Budden one of the highest-earning creators on Patreon—a claim that a Patreon spokesperson has confirmed.

Advertising Still Adds Millions

But subscriptions aren’t Budden’s only income stream. Advertising also contributes millions in additional revenue, said Schwartzman. Notably, Budden’s team sells their own ads directly, instead of partnering with major networks like iHeart, Wondery, or SiriusXM, which often take a cut of ad revenues.

From $500 a Week to Industry Powerhouse

Budden’s journey hasn’t always been lucrative. Back in 2017, when he co-hosted a show on the media platform Complex, Schwartzman recalls that they were struggling to break even. Budden himself has said he was surviving on a $500-per-week stipend at the time.

From 2018 to 2020, The Joe Budden Podcast had an exclusive licensing deal with Spotify, which paid under $2 million per year and didn’t include ad revenue or equity.

Leaving Spotify: A Strategic Reboot

After a tense split with Spotify, Budden and Schwartzman began shopping for new distribution deals. But negotiations often broke down over exclusivity clauses. In one case, a potential $44 million deal was rejected because it required removing all content from YouTube.

“As the money goes up, so do the demands,” said Schwartzman. “We wanted someone who saw our value and would let us stay in the game.”

In 2021, they found their fit in Patreon—no guaranteed check, but equity in the company and advisory roles for both Budden and Schwartzman. “Joe is in a league of his own,” said Patreon CEO Jack Conte. “Earning $1 million a month on Patreon is extremely rare.”

A New Model for Creator Power

Since hitting that revenue milestone in November, the Joe Budden Network hasn’t slowed down. Conte credits Patreon’s creator-first model, noting: “Artists today have more leverage and control than ever before in the history of the arts.”