Explained | Thailand–Cambodia Ceasefire: What Sparked Dispute Between The Two Nations? | World News
Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to end hostilities, with Thai Defense Minister Natthapon Nakpanich and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Seiha signing a ceasefire agreement at a border checkpoint in Thailand’s Chanthaburi Province on Saturday. This was the second ceasefire agreement of the year between the two countries.
Ceasefire talks between the two countries started at the border gate at around 09.40 local time on Saturday.
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Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire
Earlier, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense stated that it had reached a consensus with Thailand on the content of the draft Joint Statement of the third Special Cambodia-Thailand General Boundary Committee meeting held with the participation of ASEAN observers on Friday night, IANS reported, citing Xinhua news agency.
What Happened Between Thailand and Cambodia?
It was reported that the violence intensified on December 8-9. This came after a ceasefire collapsed in July when Thailand deployed warplanes and artillery strikes and Cambodia responded with rocket fire.
Clashes broke out in disputed parts of the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Thailand-Cambodia Conflict – Explained
The border region between Thailand and Cambodia is home to many ancient Khmer temples, most of which are close to the border. Meanwhile, control of nearby highlands has long been disputed and these areas have once again seen troop movements, bombardment and air missions during the latest round of fighting.
However, the roots of this dispute date back to the early 1900s, when border lines were established in Cambodia under French colonial rule.
According to IANS, Thailand argued that some maps produced at the time incorrectly defined the border and failed to follow natural basin boundaries referred to in earlier agreements.
A particularly important draw is the Preah Vihear temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that sovereignty over the temple belonged to Cambodia. However, the decision did not clearly define ownership of the surrounding land, leaving room for different interpretations by both sides.
Thailand-Cambodia Conflict 2025
Tensions first rose in May following a clash near the Emerald Triangle, where Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet, that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
In July the situation worsened; Both sides exchanged artillery fire and deployed heavy weapons at many border points, leading to large-scale civilian evacuations.
Although the ceasefire declared towards the end of July brought a short-term calm, isolated incidents continued.
However, the exchange of fire in December led to further military losses. It has been confirmed by the authorities that soldiers died and many people were injured in the clashes.
(With inputs from IANS)
