Thailand and Cambodia Hold Talks to Cement Ceasefire Details

Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces General Mohd Nizam Jaffar said the sessions in Malaysia follow the worst fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in more than a decade.

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Officials from Thailand and Cambodia have met in Malaysia to discuss plans to maintain a fragile ceasefire and avoid future border confrontations. The talks, observed by representatives from China, Malaysia, and the United States, aim to iron out details for a monitoring team from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces General Mohd Nizam Jaffar said the sessions in Malaysia follow the worst fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in more than a decade.

The recent clashes along the disputed border killed at least 43 people, including civilians, and left more than 300,000 others displaced. Relations between the neighbors deteriorated in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border skirmish, before worsening when Thai soldiers were injured by landmines in contested territory last month. Both sides blamed each other for starting the violence, which involved infantry clashes, artillery exchanges, air strikes, and rocket fire.

A ceasefire was announced on July 28, partly due to economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who warned both countries that they could not make trade deals with Washington without a ceasefire. Despite the fragile truce, tensions remain high, and mistrust between the two sides lingers. Cambodia’s defence ministry has accused Thailand of violating the terms of the ceasefire by installing barbed wire in a disputed border area, while the Thai military has suggested that the Cambodian army has reinforced troops in key areas.

The meeting in Malaysia came ahead of a key meeting on Thursday, expected to be led by the Thai and Cambodian defence ministers. Phnom Penh continues to demand the release of 18 of its captured troops, whom Bangkok says it will only release following “a complete cessation of the armed conflict, not just a ceasefire”. On Friday, Thailand returned two wounded Cambodian soldiers through a border checkpoint connecting Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey.

The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has its roots in colonial-era maps and treaties that defined their shared border. The dispute over the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a major point of contention. The temple’s symbolic and strategic importance makes it more than just a cultural landmark; it’s both a military outpost and a nationalist rallying point.

The recent clashes have had significant economic and humanitarian impacts. The fighting has disrupted trade, with Thailand sealing several official crossings into Cambodia, affecting thousands of daily cross-border traders and migrant workers. Cambodia has retaliated with economic countermeasures, including suspending imports of Thai agricultural products and halting purchases of electricity and internet services from Thai providers.

As the talks continue, there are concerns about the fragility of the ceasefire and the potential for future clashes. Both sides have given foreign observers tours of last month’s battle sites, while seeking to show the damage allegedly inflicted by the other nation. Thailand and Cambodia also accuse each other of violating international humanitarian laws by targeting citizens.

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