On October 26, 2025, during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (left) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shook hands at the signing ceremony of the ceasefire agreement (Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the signing of the peace declaration between Thailand and Cambodia in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, marking the start of a significant week-long Asian diplomatic tour.
Trump flew to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, and on Sunday, he also signed separate trade agreements with Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as key mineral agreements with Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
The highlight of his participation was the peace declaration between Cambodia and Thailand, which expanded the ceasefire agreement reached in July that ended the deadly border conflict.
The agreement was signed by the Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, an ASEAN member country, and the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, under the supervision of the Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current chair of ASEAN.
Although the leaders of the region praised the ceasefire as "historically significant," their differences remain deep, with long-standing disputes over borders and temples.
What is the content of the agreement? Will the ceasefire hold?
From left to right, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and U.S. President Donald Trump holding documents at the signing ceremony of the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement (Reuters)
What do we know about the peace agreement?
According to the joint statement signed by the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday, the two neighboring countries pledged to "steadfastly commit to peace and security" and committed to immediately cease hostilities, reiterating their commitment from early July to avoid using force and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Trump called it the "Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement," which is the most detailed attempt so far by Thailand and Cambodia to end the disputed border war.
The core of the agreement is a plan for military de-escalation under the supervision of ASEAN member states. Both sides agreed to withdraw heavy weapons from the border areas and transfer them to regular bases under the verification of the newly established ASEAN Observation Team (AOT).
In addition to military measures, the agreement also addresses the "information warfare" that has intensified tensions between the two countries in recent months. Bangkok and Phnom Penh promised not to spread false or inciting statements through official or unofficial channels.
The two governments pledged to resume normal diplomatic contacts and coordinate local meetings through established mechanisms such as the General Boundary Commission and the Joint Boundary Commission.
The two countries also committed to coordinate and implement humanitarian mine clearance operations in the border area, one of the key triggers of the recent round of fighting.
Thailand pledged to release 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during this year's fighting after fulfilling its commitments.
On August 20, 2025, soldiers and staff of the Thai Mine Clearance Action Center stood guard near the Thai-Cambodian border in Chong Chub Ta Mok, Surin Province, where mines were discovered after the ceasefire took effect (Reuters)
How did both sides react?
Anutin said that Bangkok represents peace, and "if this declaration is fully implemented, it will lay the foundation for lasting peace."
Hun Manet called the signing of the joint statement "a historic day."
Anutin said, "This will open the process of repairing our relations," and added, "innocent civilians have suffered great losses."
Anwar said that the agreement "reminds us that reconciliation is not a concession but an act of courage."
Trump spoke the longest.
Trump sat with regional leaders at a table with the background of "Passing on Peace," and said, "Everyone was surprised how quickly we achieved (the ceasefire)."
"My government immediately started efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating," he added, recalling when he visited the Tamburlaine Golf Club in Scotland in July and learned about the fighting.
Trump said, "I said this was much more important than playing a round of golf, I could have had fun, but it was more interesting, ... saving people, saving the country."
"My government ended eight wars in eight months – something never done in history," Trump boasted. "It's more serious than a hobby, but it's what I'm good at, and what I like doing."
Thai authorities stated that these mines were removed near the disputed Thai-Cambodian border. On August 20, 2025, Thai military personnel showed these mines to the media in the area (Reuters)
What caused the war?
Thailand and Cambodia's relationship has been at its worst for decades.
The 800-kilometer (nearly 500 miles) border between these two Southeast Asian neighbors has long been a source of conflict. Both sides dispute the boundary drawn during French colonial rule in Cambodia in 1907.
The border area is dotted with temples with centuries-old histories, some of which both sides claim sovereignty over. The disputed area is also home to communities that share common ancestors and traditions.
It was reported that in February this year, Thai police prevented Cambodian tourists from singing the national anthem at the Khmer temple Prasat Ta Moan Thon, sparking a dispute over the temple.
In May, the death of Cambodian soldiers in border clashes led both sides to increase their troops and triggered a full-scale diplomatic crisis, further escalating tensions.
By late July, the fighting escalated, with dozens of deaths in the five days before the ceasefire was reached, and at least 300,000 people displaced.
Trump had called both leaders, stating that if the fighting continued, he would not reach trade agreements with them. The U.S. is the largest export market for both countries.
However, in August, Thai soldiers were injured by landmines while patrolling the buffer zone between the two countries, escalating tensions again. Thailand accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire by planting new mines, but Phnom Penh firmly denied it.
The expanded peace agreement now includes demining along the border and withdrawal of heavy weapons.
Trump signs the Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire Agreement at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia [English video]
What is the current situation?
The ceasefire is still in place; however, due to local disputes and differing political stances between the two countries, the ceasefire remains fragile.
At the award ceremony on Sunday, both country leaders expressed gratitude for Trump's efforts. Hun Manet also reminded Trump that his government had nominated the U.S. president for the Nobel Peace Prize, an international recognition that Trump had long sought, but which he failed to achieve at this month's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.
Under tense circumstances, the two countries closed land border crossings, continuing to disrupt bilateral trade, which totaled $10.45 billion last year.
Earlier this month, Cambodia's former long-time leader, Hun Sen, father of Hun Manet, lodged a protest with the United Nations, claiming that "strong, sharp noises" were coming from the border area.
Hun Sen, who remains strong, claimed that Thailand was emitting ghost-like sounds from its Four Color Chrysanthemum province, and the Cambodian Human Rights Committee accused Thailand of "conducting psychological warfare."
The committee pointed out that since October 10, night-time loudspeakers have continuously played high-decibel "ghost" sounds, children's crying, dog barks, and helicopter noise.
According to The Nation, Kanna Wat Pongpaibulwech (also known as Kan Chompalang) was revealed to be the mastermind behind the nighttime blasting sounds from Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kew in Four Color Chrysanthemum province.
Kanna Wat received permission from the Security Supervision Corps of the Thai border provinces to carry out the operation, stating that his goal was to expel Cambodian settlers occupying Thai territory.
Anutin told The Nation that he did not think this practice violated any human rights principles. "We are doing this only to protect our sovereignty," he said.
On August 10, 2025, Buddhist monks participated in a peace march in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, following border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand (Reuters)
Will the ceasefire hold?
Political analyst and Chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly Advisory Committee, Seng Vannak, told Al Jazeera that the joint statement was a "positive and important step forward" for the region towards restoring peace and normalcy.
"The ceasefire agreement will hold, but the international community must continue to closely monitor its implementation," Vannak said, adding that Trump played a "decisive" role in facilitating the agreement. "He was crucial to this," he added.
However, he said, domestic political levers in Bangkok "could change the situation."
Professor and Senior Researcher at the Institute of Security and International Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, said that after the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN bloc will have to deal with the lasting impact of the Thai-Cambodia conflict in the coming years, "which will spread to next year when the Philippines takes over as ASEAN Chair, and even possibly to 2027 when Singapore becomes ASEAN Chair, marking the 60th anniversary of ASEAN's founding."
He said that although progress has been made in easing tensions and resuming border negotiations, the Thai and Cambodian governments "seem to have the intention and motive to incite nationalist sentiment for domestic political gain."
In Thailand, Thitinan said, Anutin "may try to use anti-Cambodian sentiment and reactions domestically to gain leverage and electoral advantage before the general elections in the second quarter of next year."
Thitinan said that in Cambodia, Hun Manet may incite anti-Thai sentiment and dissatisfaction to maintain political control and divert attention from accusations against Cambodia's fraud centers and transnational crimes.
Thitinan said, "The Thai-Cambodia conflict has become a heavy burden on ASEAN, urgently needing focused relief and resolution within bilateral and ASEAN mechanisms."
He added that these actions must go beyond the agendas of Washington or Beijing.
What is the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia? [English video]
Source: Al Jazeera
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