Thailand and Cambodia will resume border ceasefire talks later this week, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced Monday after an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Resumption of Talks
Sihasak said progress depends on detailed bilateral negotiations, not public declarations that internationalize the dispute. The general border committee involving both nations will meet Wednesday to iron out detailed measures toward a lasting ceasefire.
Issues with the October Ceasefire
The October ceasefire was rushed to be witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump and lacked sufficient detail. The agreement was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through under pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed.
“This time, let’s thrash out the details and make sure the ceasefire reflects the situation on the ground and the ceasefire is one that really holds, and both sides are going to fully respect the ceasefire,” Sihasak told a news conference.
While Cambodia has publicly said it is ready for an unconditional ceasefire, Bangkok never received any direct proposal and Thailand believed such statements were aimed at increasing international pressure rather than resolving the issue.
Current Conflict and International Responses
The fighting began Dec. 8 after a skirmish that wounded two Thai soldiers. Since then combat has broken out on several fronts. Thailand has carried out airstrikes in Cambodia with F-16 fighter jets, and Cambodia has fired thousands of BM-21 rockets. More than three dozen people on both sides have been killed in the past week, and more than half a million have been displaced.
Land mine explosions have been a sensitive issue for Thailand. Thailand alleges Cambodia laid new mines that wounded soldiers patrolling the frontier. Cambodia insists the mines were remnants of its decades-long civil war. “These were clearly newly planted landmines, and this was confirmed by the ASEAN observer team,” Sihasak said Monday, calling it a “clear violation” of the October agreement.
The Thai navy said Sunday one of its marines sustained serious injuries from stepping on a land mine. The navy also claimed to have discovered a large number of abandoned weapons and explosive ordnance while securing an area described as a Cambodian stronghold, which showed “deliberate planning and intentional use of anti-personnel landmines” against Thai troops.
The Thai Foreign Ministry said it would send letters of protest to Cambodia and Zambia, the current chair of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, to pursue further action under the convention’s mechanisms. Cambodia did not immediately respond to the Thai claims.
Malaysia, the ASEAN chair, said ASEAN foreign ministers expressed hope for de-escalation. The Philippines, set to chair ASEAN next year, said it is prepared to act as facilitator or mediator. The U.S. Department of State urged both sides to end hostilities, withdraw heavy weapons, cease emplacement of landmines, and fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.
Key Takeaways
- Thailand and Cambodia will resume border ceasefire talks this week amid ongoing fighting.
- The October ceasefire agreement is criticized for lacking detail, with land mines and US involvement highlighted as key concerns.
- The current conflict has resulted in dozens of deaths, hundreds of thousands displaced, and continued land-mine incidents.
The talks aim to replace the rushed October agreement with a durable, detail-rich ceasefire that both sides can fully respect.
