Ceasefire at the Thailand–Cambodia border after continuous clashes

International Desk: PNN

The two Southeast Asian neighboring countries, Thailand and Cambodia, have finally reached a ceasefire agreement to halt border clashes. This agreement comes after several weeks of intense fighting, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and displaced over half a million people in both countries.

On Saturday, the defense ministers of both nations issued a joint statement declaring that the ceasefire would take effect immediately upon signing. The truce began at 12:00 pm local time (5:00 am GMT) and prohibits all use of weapons, as well as any attacks on civilians, infrastructure, and military targets.

According to the agreement, both sides will maintain the positions of their currently deployed troops and refrain from moving additional forces. They also pledged to avoid provocative actions or spreading misleading information that could escalate tensions.

Reports from Poipet, a Cambodian border town, indicate that gunfire ceased once the ceasefire became effective. However, intense shelling continued up to the exact moment the truce took effect, highlighting its fragile nature. Consequently, displaced civilians are still hesitant to return home.

The ceasefire, signed by Thailand’s Defense Minister Nathaphon Narkphanit and Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha, ended nearly 20 days of continuous clashes, considered among the most severe in recent years. As part of the agreement, Thailand agreed to return 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been detained during earlier clashes if the truce holds fully for 72 hours. Additionally, an ASEAN-observer team will monitor the implementation of the ceasefire.

Next Sunday, Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn is scheduled to join a tripartite meeting in China’s Yunnan province with Thailand’s Foreign Minister and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The primary goal of this meeting is to restore peace, security, and stability at the border.

Analysts believe the next 72 hours are crucial for the ceasefire. If peace is not sustained, a large number of displaced people may delay returning home. Thailand and Cambodia share a border of nearly 800 kilometers, with longstanding territorial disputes. Conflicts over several ancient temples and colonial-era boundary demarcations have persisted for over a century. In recent clashes, both sides accused each other of attacking civilian targets.