Can Asean mediate Thailand-Cambodia tensions? Growing violence tests peace mandate
Thailand and
Cambodia 's disputed border, questions are resurfacing over whether the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) can live up to its mandate to preserve peace among its members.
Analysts say the escalating violence is also exposing the bloc's limited tools for intervention. While some urge urgent mediation and a return to dialogue, others argue Asean has been sidelined from the outset – raising concerns that nationalist politics and diplomatic inertia could allow the conflict to spiral further.
At least 12 people have been killed in
recent fighting , with Thai and Cambodian troops exchanging gunfire, rocket fire and shelling across multiple points of the 820km frontier. Most of the casualties were civilians from Thailand's three border provinces, according to Bangkok's defence ministry.
The two countries traded blame for the attacks that erupted early on Thursday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom Temple, where troops exchanged gunfire, shelling and rocket fire, hours after Thailand accused Cambodia of leaving
landmines that injured Thai soldiers, which Phnom Penh denied.
04:06
Tensions along Thailand-Cambodia border boil over as soldiers open fire
Tensions along Thailand-Cambodia border boil over as soldiers open fire
Malaysian Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim , whose country currently chairs Asean, urged both sides to 'stand down' and resume talks, calling the situation 'concerning' given the historic ties and regional responsibilities of both nations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
30 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Tens of thousands march for Palestine on Sydney Harbour Bridge
Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved pouring rain to march across Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge on Sunday, calling for peace and aid deliveries in the war-torn Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian crisis has been worsening. Nearly two years into a war that Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, governments and humanitarian organisations say a shortage of food is leading to widespread starvation. Some of those attending the march, called by its organisers the 'March for Humanity', carried pots and pans as symbols of the hunger. 'Enough is enough,' said Doug, a man in his 60s with a shock of white hair. 'When people from all over the world gather together and speak up, then evil can be overcome.' Marchers ranged from the elderly to families with young children. Among them was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange . Many carried umbrellas. Some waved Palestinian flags and chanted 'We are all Palestinians.' New South Wales police said up to 90,000 people had attended, far more than expected. The protest organiser, Palestine Action Group Sydney, said in a Facebook post that as many as 300,000 people may have marched. New South Wales police and the state's premier last week tried to block the march from taking place on the bridge, a city landmark and transport thoroughfare, saying the route could cause safety hazards and transport disruption. The state's Supreme Court ruled on Saturday that it could go ahead.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Will India's Modi attend China's World War II victory parade? What would it mean at home?
A historian has called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend China's Victory Day parade in September. However, analysts believe this is highly unlikely. Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, a network of research institutes in the Global South, said he strongly suggested that Modi attend the parade in Beijing on September 3 and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with China and Russia. '[China, India, and Russia] can hold a tripartite meeting and, by leveraging the power of Russia as an ally, effectively resolve the differences between China and India,' Prashad said during a live show hosted by Chinese media outlet on July 26. He also described the China-India border dispute as a 'political issue' that was 'solvable'. 04:20 Will India and China's new border deal lead to long-term peace in the disputed Himalayas? Will India and China's new border deal lead to long-term peace in the disputed Himalayas? However, observers said Modi was not likely to take part, despite the recent thaw in China-India relations.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
How Singapore's economic architect Goh Keng Swee shaped its state-linked giants
The First Fools: B-Sides of Lee Kuan Yew's A-Team is a new anthology about Singapore's founding leaders. In this excerpt, author Aaron Low spotlights Goh Keng Swee – widely remembered as Singapore's first finance minister and economic architect – whose lesser-known role as one of the country's most influential businessmen saw him create a network of state-linked firms that helped define Brand Singapore. Advertisement Entrepreneurs start businesses for many reasons. Some do it because of the firm belief that they can change the world around them, like Jeff Bezos, who foresaw how the internet would transform the way people bought books. Others are problem solvers such as Jack Ma, who created Alibaba to empower small Chinese firms and compete in the new digital economy. Then there are those like Microsoft's Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who turn their expertise into ventures and look to profit from their innate skills. But Goh was different. He believed in business as a means to an end, one that was for the greater good. Influenced by Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, Goh endorsed the idea that the invisible hand of business can produce goods and services efficiently, create jobs, and benefit the economy as a whole. But to do so, capitalism had to be tempered and guided wisely to avoid its excesses. There was another, more pressing, motivation: a deep desire to sustain Singapore's fragile independence and keep the idea of a nation alive. His form of capitalism, as his former protégé and top civil servant Philip Yeo said, was tinged with a large dose of socialism. Goh Keng Swee in 1948. He would go on to become Singapore's first finance minister and later the country's deputy prime minister. Photo: Handout 'He runs the company efficiently and properly, borrows money and hires people. He is no different from a businessman. But the key difference is that Dr Goh is a state capitalist. The businessman makes profit for himself; Dr Goh did it for the public good,' said Yeo.
