Photo: Alamy
Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” ending days of deadly border clashes that killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the breakthrough on Monday, following talks as the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The agreement, brokered during emergency meetings in Kuala Lumpur, followed pressure from both the United States and China to restore calm.
“This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” Anwar said, reading from a joint statement issued by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
The ceasefire is scheduled to take effect at midnight Tuesday, local time. Officials from both countries will meet in the coming days to address underlying border tensions.
Anwar said foreign and defense ministers from Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand will work together to “develop a detailed mechanism” for implementing and monitoring the agreement.
The conflict began on Thursday after five Thai soldiers were injured in a land mine explosion near the border, sparking clashes that led both countries to recall their ambassadors. Thailand shut down most border crossings with Cambodia, allowing only the return of migrant workers. Both nations blamed each other for initiating the hostilities.
Hun Manet and Phumtham appeared together at a press conference to announce the deal, shaking hands as a show of reconciliation.
“It is time to start rebuilding trust, confidence, and cooperation going forward between Thailand and Cambodia,” said Hun Manet, expressing hope that diplomatic relations would normalize soon and that roughly 300,000 displaced villagers could return to their homes.
Phumtham said the ceasefire reflected “Thailand’s desire for a peaceful resolution.”
The ceasefire talks were co-organized by the U.S. and China, both of whom sent ambassadors to observe the negotiations. The agreement came days after President Donald Trump warned both nations that the U.S. might suspend trade deals if fighting continued.
The U.S. has long-standing trade partnerships with both Cambodia and Thailand, and Trump’s comments were widely viewed as a major factor in encouraging both governments to sit at the negotiating table.
