Thailand and Cambodia agree ceasefire after weeks of deadly clashes
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, the defense ministers of both countries said in a joint statement.
The two sides agreed to freeze the front lines where they are now and allow civilians living in border areas to return to their homes, stopping nearly three civilians dead. Intense fighting has been going on for weeks, with hundreds of soldiers dead and nearly a million people believed to have been displaced.
The ceasefire came into force at noon local time (05:00 GMT) on Saturday. In the statement, it was stated that 18 Cambodian soldiers detained by Thailand since July will be released after remaining on duty for 72 hours.
This breakthrough came after days of talks between the two countries, with diplomatic encouragement from China and the United States.
The agreement prioritizes returning the displaced to their homes and also includes an agreement on mine removal.
Thai Defense Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit described the ceasefire as a test of “the sincerity of the other side”.
“If the ceasefire does not materialize or is violated, Thailand will reserve the right to self-defense in accordance with international law,” he told reporters.
Thailand had been reluctant to accept the ceasefire, saying the latter was not properly implemented. They were also angered by what they saw as Cambodia’s efforts to internationalize the conflict.
Unlike the last ceasefire in July, US President Donald Trump was conspicuously absent from this one, although the US State Department was involved.
That ceasefire agreement collapsed when new clashes broke out earlier this month.
Both sides blamed each other for the breakdown of the ceasefire.
The Thai army said its soldiers responded to Cambodian fire in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province and two Thai soldiers were injured.
Cambodia’s defense ministry said Thai forces were the first to attack Preah Vihear province and insisted Cambodia would not retaliate.
Clashes continued throughout December. On Friday, Thailand launched more air strikes on Cambodia.
The Thai Air Force said it struck a Cambodian “fortified military position” after civilians fled the area. Cambodia’s defense ministry said the attacks were “indiscriminate attacks” on civilian homes.
How successful the ceasefire will be this time depends largely on political will. Nationalist sentiments flared in both countries.
Cambodia in particular lost a large number of its soldiers and military equipment. It was pushed back from its border positions and suffered great damage from Thai air strikes; These grievances may make it difficult to achieve a lasting peace.
The border dispute dates back more than a century, but tensions flared earlier this year when a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs at a disputed temple.
One Cambodian soldier was killed in fighting in May, and two months later in July, dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed in five days of intense fighting along the border. Thousands more civilians were displaced.
Following the intervention of Malaysia and President Trump, a fragile ceasefire was negotiated between the two countries and signed in late October.
Trump called the agreement the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.” Both sides were instructed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the disputed area and establish a temporary observer team to monitor the region.
However, the agreement was suspended by Thailand in November after Thai soldiers were injured by landmines and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared that the security threat “has not actually decreased”.
