Ceasefire comes into effect between Thailand and Cambodia

SBS Australia

5 days ago

A ceasefire agreed to in 'good faith'. That's how the acting Thai Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai described Cambodia and Thailand's agreement to end their worst fighting in more than a decade, on Monday. "We agreed to a ceasefire with assurance that it will be carried out successfully in good faith by both sides." The ceasefire came into effect at midnight after five days of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia that killed at least 38 people, and displaced more than 300,000 people from both sides of the border. Leaders of the fighting sides met in Malaysia, along with representatives from the United States and China, after US President Donald Trump had threatened to halt trade negotiations while the conflict continued. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hailed the 'unconditional ceasefire' as the restoration of peace and security. "The United States President Donald J. Trump has been in contact with the leaders of both countries, urging the leaders to find peaceful resolution to the conflict. The Chinese side have kept close contact with Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia and relevant countries to actively promote dialogue, ceasefire, and restoring peace. The presence and collaboration of all parties underscore a shared commitment to peace, dialogue, and regional stability." The parties blame each other for initiating the border conflict that erupted on Thursday - a dispute that dates back over a century to disagreements over French colonial-era maps. Cambodia deployed truck-mounted rocket launchers, which Thailand says were used to target civilian areas, while the Thai armed forces despatched US-made F-16 fighter jets, using one to bomb military targets across the border. Both sides offered different versions of events. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet also spoke at the press conference, offering assurances that his country will honour the deal. "We hope that the solutions that Prime Minister Anwar just announced will set a condition for moving forward for our bilateral discussion to return to normalcies of the relationship and as a foundation for future de-escalation of forces." The fighting followed weeks of tensions after a Cambodian soldier was killed in an armed confrontation on the border in May. There was also a dispute in February over a Khmer temple close to the border in Thailand, when Thai police stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem near the holy site. The ceasefire is welcome news for many Thai and Cambodian residents, including 50-year-old resident Hun Srey Yan. "I agreed with our leader's call with Trump, and Donald Trump's intervention in this ceasefire effort, so the people can no longer live in fear and both sides can stop fighting immediately." But others are more cynical about the deal - like 37-year-old Saifon Karnket, a Thai villager temporarily sheltered in Thailand's Sisaket province. "I don't believe Cambodia because I don't think they would easily give up. We'd have some conditions for them for the ceasefire and I don't think they would accept them and easily agree with us." Global leaders reacted positively to news of the ceasefire, including US President Donald Trump, who took to his social media platform Truth Social to announce a resumption of trade negotiations with Thailand and Cambodia, and to take credit for the deal, describing himself as the 'President of Peace'. Despite the ceasefire announcement, Thai authorities have warned people who have evacuated from border areas not to return home until further notice.