Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following intervention by Donald Trump.
The US president said he held separate talks with the leaders of both countries amid renewed border clashes that killed at least 20 and displaced thousands.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he spoke with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, adding that both sides agreed to stop all shooting effective on Friday evening.
“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump said, referring to a peace agreement inked in late July.
The president said that the fighting was triggered by what he described as an “accidental” roadside bomb that had wounded several Thai soldiers, noting that Thailand had retaliated “very strongly” to the incident.
Trump assured that both Cambodia and Thailand are “ready for peace and continued trade with the United States of America,” and thanked Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his assistance in ending the conflict that could have escalated into a major war.
Decades-long temple dispute
The conflict stems from a centuries-old rivalry over the Temple of Preah Vihear between Thailand and Cambodia.
During World War II, Thailand, with Japan’s support as mediator, gained territorial concessions in the Franco-Thai War, including areas near the temple.
However, in 1946, Thailand returned the temple to France – then the colonial ruler of Cambodia – as a bid to be part of the United Nations.
After Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953, Thai troops began reoccupying the site, prompting Cambodia to bring the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In 1962, the ICJ ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, though surrounding land remained disputed.
Tensions resurfaced in 2008 when Cambodia listed the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site, sparking border clashes.
In 2013, the ICJ confirmed that the temple and its immediate vicinity lie within Cambodian territory.
Clashes continue
However, despite the ruling of ICJ, the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand continued after a skirmish near the Temple of Preah Vihear in late May left one Cambodian soldier dead.
The incident triggered months of tension and retaliation, with Cambodia banning Thai imports such as food and fuel, while Thailand shut border crossings and limited internet and power connections to Cambodia, according to Britannica.
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Trump intervention in July
In late July, the conflict further escalated when a Thai patrol in Ubon Ratchathani province triggered a land mine on the border, injuring five soldiers.
Thailand accused Cambodia of laying the mines, which independent assessments suggested were newly placed, though Cambodia strongly denied the claims.
Trump later intervened, threatening both countries to cease trade if they didn’t agree to a ceasefire.
The July agreement temporarily eased the tensions, but hostilities flared again in December when Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodia, accusing Phnom Penh of violating the peace deal by housing long-range military equipment.
Currently, both countries have expressed willingness to end the conflict, following the most recent ceasefire.
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