CHANTABURI, Thailand – Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, their defense ministers announced Saturday in a joint statement, aiming to halt nearly three weeks of intense border fighting that has caused mass displacement and heavy casualties.
The agreement, reached during a special meeting at a border checkpoint, took effect at noon local time (05:00 GMT). Its key terms include a freeze of military positions at current front lines, the return of displaced civilians to border areas, and the removal of landmines. If the ceasefire holds for 72 hours, Thailand will release 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July.
The breakthrough follows days of talks, with diplomatic encouragement from both China and the United States. However, the atmosphere remains tense. Thailand’s Defence Minister, Natthaphon Narkphanit, called the deal a test of the “other party’s sincerity,” warning that Thailand retains the right to self-defense if the truce is violated.
Thailand had been hesitant, citing the failure of a previous ceasefire brokered in July with intervention from Malaysia and then-U.S. President Donald Trump. That agreement, dubbed the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords,” collapsed earlier this month, with each side blaming the other for renewed violence.
Clashes continued throughout December, escalating on Friday with Thai air strikes inside Cambodia. Thailand stated it targeted a “fortified military position” after civilians evacuated, while Cambodia condemned “indiscriminate attacks” on civilian houses.
The conflict has inflamed nationalist sentiments in both nations. Cambodia, which has suffered significant military losses and equipment damage and was driven from some border positions, may find grievances a barrier to lasting peace.
The border dispute spans more than a century, but tensions surged this year. A fragile October ceasefire was suspended by Thailand in November after its soldiers were injured by landmines. The success of this new agreement is seen as heavily dependent on political will, with a long history of distrust and periodic violence challenging its durability.
