After three days of fierce and deadly border clashes, former US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold immediate talks to negotiate a ceasefire. The recent violence has claimed more than 30 lives and displaced over 130,000 people along the disputed border.
Trump, who is currently in Scotland, shared the news via a post on Truth Social, stating that he had spoken separately with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. According to Trump, he urged both leaders to end the hostilities, warning that continued fighting could endanger potential trade deals with the United States.
“Both parties are looking for an immediate ceasefire and peace,” Trump wrote, describing his efforts to mediate between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. He noted that both sides had expressed a strong desire to return to the “trading table.”
“They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!” Trump declared in the post. However, neither the White House nor the embassies of Thailand or Cambodia have confirmed the timing or location of the proposed talks.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai later affirmed his country’s willingness to support a ceasefire “in principle,” but called for “sincere intention” from the Cambodian side. In a Facebook post, Phumtham said he had asked Trump to convey Thailand’s readiness for bilateral talks to pursue a long-term peaceful resolution.
Also Read: Over 10,000 displaced in Thailand-Cambodia border clashes
The recent clashes mark the most serious military escalation between the two countries in more than ten years. The battlefront has significantly expanded as fighting escalated on Saturday in two regions more than 100 kilometres from the original conflict zone: Thailand's Trat Province and Cambodia's Pursat Province.
After a Cambodian soldier was killed in a disputed border area in late May, tensions erupted. Along the disputed 817-kilometer border, this incident led to military buildups and retaliatory skirmishes. A number of historic temple locations, most notably the UNESCO-listed Preah Vihear Temple, are at the centre of the conflict.
Also Read: Cambodia calls for ceasefire as Thai border clashes worsen
Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the temple to Cambodia in a 1962 ruling, Thailand has never fully accepted the verdict. As of Saturday, Thai authorities reported 20 deaths, including seven soldiers and 13 civilians, while Cambodia reported 13 fatalities—five soldiers and eight civilians. Cambodia’s defence ministry accused Thailand of launching unlawful attacks and engaging in aggressive troop movements. Additionally, it urged the world community to denounce what it called aggressive acts.
Thai officials responded by accusing Cambodia of deploying landmines and carrying out cross-border attacks and restating their commitment to settling the dispute through bilateral talks. The Indian embassy in Cambodia issued a travel advisory on Saturday, warning Indian nationals to stay away from the border areas because of the worsening security conditions amid the escalating tensions.
At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, Thai delegates expressed concerns about Cambodian "aggression" and demanded international attention to the issue. Thailand has openly denied the ICJ's jurisdiction over the issue, but Cambodia is still requesting the court's renewed intervention.
Also Read: India issues fresh advisory amid Thailand-Cambodia war
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