The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end their border clashes, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday, following talks in Malaysia between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
Ibrahim said following mediation in Malaysia: ‘Both Cambodia and Thailand reached a common understanding as follows: One, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with effect from 24 hours local time, midnight on 28th July 2025, tonight.’
Cambodia’s prime minister Hun Manet praised US president Donald Trump for his ‘decisive mediation’ following the border dispute that flared up last week.
Trump last night threatened to halt US negotiations with both Cambodia and Thailand until the ‘fighting STOPS’, with US secretary of state Marco Rubio chiming in and saying that America wanted the conflict to end ‘as soon as possible.’
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia boiled over last week, following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief skirmish late in May.
Both sides reinforced border troops amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Trump said he believed both Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle their differences after he told both their leaders in weekend telephone calls that he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended the fighting.
The leader of Thailand, which initially would not accept a third-party mediator, previously said there were doubts about Cambodia’s sincerity ahead of the negotiations in Malaysia.
A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck carrying a Russian-made BM-21 rocket launcher travelling along a street in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025
A Cambodian soldier (centre L) shakes hands with a Thai soldier (centre R) at the disputed ancient Khmer temple Prasat Ta Muen Thom, or Prasat Ta Moan Thom in Khmer, on the Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province on March 26, 2025
An evacuated house that was destroyed by fire after being hit by Cambodian artillery that morning, is seen in the Thai border province of Surin on July 27, 2025
‘We are not confident in Cambodia, their actions so far have reflected insincerity in solving the problem,’ Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters before he left for talks.
‘Cambodia has violated international law, but everybody wants to see peace. Nobody wants to see violence that affects civilians.’
Cambodia strongly denied Thai accusations of having fired at civilian targets, saying instead that Thailand put innocent lives at risk. It has called for the international community to condemn Thailand’s aggression against it.
Even after the peace talks were announced, both sides reported clashes in border areas on Monday.
In the Thai province of Sisaket, Reuters reporters came across an evacuated village about 12 miles from the border. Splintered wood and twisted beams were all that was left of a house hit by artillery fire after its residents left.
Power lines drooped over the damaged house, and debris was scattered by the road. The windows of nearby houses were shattered, scattering broken glass.
The area was largely deserted, with stores and restaurants closed, and only military vehicles, tanks and a few cars seen on a nearby four-lane road as random bursts of distant artillery fire pierced the eerie silence.
This story is developing, more to follow.
