BANGKOK – Thailand and Cambodia have reaffirmed a fragile ceasefire after days of conflict along their shared border, with China stepping in to mediate negotiations between the two nations.
The ceasefire, brokered in Malaysia, was intended to begin at midnight on Monday but was quickly put to the test. Thailand accused Cambodia of initiating attacks in several areas early Tuesday, while Cambodia insisted that no firing took place. The Thai military reported exchanges of gunfire continuing into Wednesday morning, but noted that no heavy artillery was involved.
“This act of aggression is yet another clear breach of the ceasefire agreement by Cambodian forces and suggests a lack of sincerity,” declared Thailand’s Foreign Ministry in a statement released Wednesday morning.
By Wednesday afternoon, both nations appeared committed to upholding the ceasefire. Representatives from both sides were pictured smiling alongside Chinese Vice Minister Sun Weidong at a meeting in Shanghai.
According to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Cambodia and Thailand reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire and voiced gratitude for China’s active role in easing tensions.”
China characterized this informal meeting as its “latest diplomatic effort,” emphasizing its “constructive role in addressing the border dispute,” stated the same report.
Violating the ceasefire
The fighting Tuesday night occurred in Phu Makhuea, a mountain in a disputed area next to Thaikand’s Sisaket province.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, agreed on Monday to an “unconditional” halt in fighting, which has killed at least 41 people.
The meeting was hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He called the ceasefire a “vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security.”
The ceasefire was brokered with U.S. pressure and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington applauded the ceasefire declaration.
“President (Donald) Trump and I are committed to an immediate cessation of violence and expect the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to fully honor their commitments to end this conflict,” Rubio said in a statement.
Hun Manet said Tuesday that Trump had called to offer congratulations for the peace move. He posted on social media that Trump pledged the U.S. would join the monitoring process along with Malaysia to ensure the ceasefire is implemented.
The Thai government separately said it has complained to Malaysia, the U.S. and China about Cambodia’s alleged breach of the ceasefire agreement previously.
By Wednesday, there were signs of calm along the border, with some of the more than 260,000 people displaced by the fighting returning to their homes.
Cambodia and Thailand have clashed in the past over their 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. The fighting began Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Tensions had been growing since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s domestic politics.
Residents face limbo
While some residents near the border have started returning home, many remain behind in evacuation shelters, uncertain of their fate.
Vendor Kanchana Sukjit, 33, said she fled home near the Ta Muen Thom temple with a few belongings and her small white-colored dog Nam Khaeng, which means ice in Thai. The temple had been one of the main flashpoints in the conflict over the past week.
It was the first time she had to flee home like this and she was worried as she waited for clearer instructions about what happens next.
“I’m stressed when I read the news, like when reports said they were going to fire (a long-range rocket), because my home is right next to a military camp. I was quite stressed that day because I was afraid that my home would get caught in a crossfire,” she said.
___
Wu reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Samrong, Cambodia, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
