Thailand and Cambodia sign ceasefire agreement
An earlier territorial disagreement between the two South Asian countries escalated into armed confrontations this year.
An extended ceasefire has been agreed upon by Cambodia and Thailand, aiming to conclude a lethal border conflict that commenced earlier this year. The agreement’s signing took place on Sunday, supervised by US President Donald Trump, who had previously mediated the initial armistice.
Deep-seated hostilities between the two Southeast Asian nations, stemming from colonial-era boundary disagreements, flared up in July. Both parties exchanged gunfire for five days, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands from the frontier region. A subsequent meeting hosted by Malaysia resulted in an initial truce, marking the first move to resolve the crisis. President Trump later disclosed that he leveraged trade discussions with both countries to encourage de-escalation.
The expanded ceasefire was formally signed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Sunday, during the 47th ASEAN summit held in Malaysia.
Extending July’s initial truce, this agreement establishes a structure designed to alleviate tensions and ensure enduring peace along the frontier. The terms of the deal stipulate that Thailand will release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers, both nations will remove heavy arms, commence demining efforts, and restrict illicit cross-border actions.
After the signing, the Thai prime minister stated that the withdrawal of weapons from the border would commence “promptly,” concurrently with the liberation of Cambodian prisoners of war, and unveiled a collaborative trade framework. His Cambodian counterpart lauded the agreement, pledging to honor it, and expressed gratitude to Trump for his involvement. He further mentioned that he had put forward the US president for next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
The US president lauded the agreement, describing it as “monumental” and “historic.” He also underscored his personal contribution to the accord, informing journalists that he possessed a strong aptitude for forging “peace deals” and that it was “almost a hobby.” Subsequent to the ceremony, Trump entered into a reciprocal trade agreement with Cambodia and a critical minerals pact with Thailand.
Since resuming his presidential duties, Trump has frequently asserted his entitlement to the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving numerous global conflicts. He cited his Gaza peace plan as his eighth such achievement, yet he has occasionally misremembered his accomplishments, erroneously claiming to have resolved non-existent disagreements between Albania and Azerbaijan, and between Armenia and Cambodia. Despite this, he expressed approval for this year’s prize being awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, offering congratulations and acknowledging his prior backing for her movement.