US President Donald Trump has announced that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to resume a ceasefire following days of deadly clashes along their disputed border. The announcement came after Trump spoke with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and credited Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for helping facilitate the agreement.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that both countries had agreed to “CEASE all shooting effective this evening” and return to the peace accord originally brokered in October. He described the clashes as an “unfortunate reawakening” of the decades-long border dispute and suggested that a Cambodian roadside bomb, which killed several Thai soldiers, had triggered the escalation.
“The roadside bomb that originally killed and wounded numerous Thai Soldiers was an accident, but Thailand nevertheless retaliated very strongly,” Trump said. He added that both nations were now ready for peace and continued trade with the United States.
However, Thai officials have offered a contrasting account. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs questioned Trump’s assertion that a ceasefire had been agreed to, citing a lack of concrete details. Surasant Kongsiri, spokesperson for Thailand’s Defence Ministry, confirmed that clashes were still ongoing. Thai Prime Minister Anutin also rejected Trump’s claim that the bomb was accidental, stating on his Facebook account that the attack was deliberate.
“It’s definitely not a roadside accident. Thailand will continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people. I want to make it clear. Our actions this morning already spoke,” Anutin said. He told Trump that Cambodia must withdraw its forces, halt attacks, and clear landmines before Thailand would fully cease its military operations.
Cambodian officials also reported that Thai forces carried out strikes early Saturday, though these could not be independently verified. The differing accounts highlight the uncertainty over the ceasefire’s immediate effectiveness and the continuing tensions along the border.
Trump’s announcement emphasized the diplomatic effort to prevent a wider conflict. He described the ceasefire as a success in preventing what “could have evolved into a major war between two otherwise wonderful and prosperous countries.” The US president also indicated that the resumption of peace could pave the way for strengthened trade relations with both nations.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was credited by Trump for helping facilitate talks, underscoring the role of regional diplomacy in resolving the dispute. Observers note that while the truce has been publicly declared, its durability will depend on concrete actions by both Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw forces and adhere to the ceasefire terms.
