Thailand and Cambodia agree to unconditional ceasefire from midnight, Malaysian PM says
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Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire after five days of fighting
Cambodia and Thailand agree to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” from midnight (1700 GMT) on Monday. At least 36 people have been killed in the fighting, mostly civilians. U.S. President Donald Trump called both leaders at the weekend, warning he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended the fighting. Both sides are facing a steep import tariff of 36% on their goods in the U.N.’s top export market, the United States. The Southeast Asian neighbours have wrangled for decades over border territory and have been on a conflict footing since the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish late in May. A full-blown diplomatic crisis brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse last week after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia’s envoy. Thailand and Cambodia accuse each other of starting the fighting last week, both quickly deploying heavy artillery at multiple points along their 800-km (500-mile) land border.
Ceasefire to start midnight Monday
Cambodia, Thai leaders thank Trump
Ceasefire a ‘vital first step towards de-escalation’, Malaysia PM says
At least 36 people killed, mostly civilians
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, July 28 (Reuters) – Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” from midnight (1700 GMT) on Monday, in a bid to halt their deadliest conflict in more than a decade after five days of fierce fighting that has displaced more than 300,000 people.
After days of efforts by Malaysia, chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, the United States and China to bring both sides to the table, the two countries’ leaders agreed to end hostilities, resume direct communications and create a mechanism to implement the truce. At least 36 people have been killed in the fighting, mostly civilians
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Following more than two hours of talks at his official residence in Putrajaya, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, flanked by Thai and Cambodian leaders, said he was ready to deploy a team to observe and ensure implementation.
“This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” he told a press conference.
“All parties shared a commitment to peace.”
BORDER DISPUTE HAS FESTERED FOR DECADES
The Southeast Asian neighbours have wrangled for decades over border territory and have been on a conflict footing since the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish late in May, which led to a troop buildup on both sides. A full-blown diplomatic crisis brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse
They accuse each other of starting the fighting last week, both quickly deploying heavy artillery at multiple points along their 800-km (500-mile) land border. Thailand flew air raids with an F-16 fighter jet
U.S. President Donald Trump called both leaders at the weekend, warning he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended the fighting. Both sides are facing a steep import tariff of 36% on their goods in the U.S., their top export market.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet thanked his acting Thai counterpart Phumtham Wechayachai for what he said was a positive role and said he deeply appreciated Trump’s “decisive mediation” and China’s constructive participation.
“We agreed that the fighting will stop immediately,” he said, expressing confidence that both sides could rebuild trust and confidence.
“The solutions proposed by Prime Minister Anwar will set the conditions for moving forward with bilateral discussions, returning to normalcy, and forming the foundation for future de-escalation.”
Responding to the ceasefire, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trump “made this happen”.
“Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!” Leavitt posted on X.
Item 1 of 6 Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim looks on as Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai take part in mediation talks on the Thailand–Cambodia border conflict, in Putrajaya, Malaysia July 28, 2025. Mohd Rasfan/Pool via REUTERS [1/6] Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim looks on as Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai take part in mediation talks on the Thailand–Cambodia border conflict, in Putrajaya, Malaysia July 28, 2025. Mohd Rasfan/Pool via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
Tensions boiled over last week after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia’s envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged Cambodian troops had recently laid.
Cambodia has strongly denied the charge, as well as Thai accusations that it has fired at civilian targets including schools and hospitals.
Hun Manet last week accused Thailand of “unprovoked and premeditated military aggression”.
This map shows the locations where military clashes have occurred along the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia.
IN GOOD FAITH
Thai leader Phumtham, who had expressed doubts about Cambodia’s sincerity, said Bangkok had agreed to a ceasefire that would be “carried out successfully in good faith by both sides”.
“Today’s outcome reflects Thailand’s desire for peaceful resolution by continuing to protect our sovereignty and the life of our people,” he said, thanking Trump and Malaysia.
The fighting has scarred border communities on both sides.
In Thailand’s Sisaket province, a house lay reduced to splintered wood and twisted beams after being struck by artillery fire from Cambodia. The roof had caved in, windows hung by the frame and power lines drooped over the structure.
Amid the din of occasional artillery fire, homes and shops remained shut and a four-lane road was deserted except for a few cars and military vehicles.
Dozens of displaced residents lined up quietly for their evening meal at an evacuation centre about 40 km away from the frontlines.
A few children played with dogs, others swept the dusty floor.
Fifty-four-year-old Nong Ngarmsri just wanted to go back to her village.
“I want to go to my children who stayed back,” she said. “I want them to cease firing so that I can go home.”
Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Chayut Setboonsarng, Panu Wongcha-um and Devjyot Ghoshal in Bangkok, Shoon Naing and Artorn Pookasook in Sisaket, Chantha Lach in Phnom Penh, Danial Azhar and Mandy Leong in Putrajaya, Malaysia and Susan Heavey; Writing by John Mair and Martin Petty; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and
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Thailand, Cambodia agree on ceasefire, says Malaysian PM
Thailand and Cambodia’s leaders have agreed to implement a ceasefire starting midnight on Monday. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said following a meeting hosted by him here. Anwar outlined a step-by-step de-escalation process and the mechanism through which it will be implemented and monitored. The initial ceasefire will be followed by the reestablishment of contacts between the regional army commanders on both sides through a face-to-face meeting at 7 a.m. local time on July 29. If both sides are agreeable, a meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) on Aug. 4 will be hosted by Cambodia.
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, July 28 (Xinhua) — Thailand and Cambodia’s leaders have agreed to implement a ceasefire starting midnight on Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said following a meeting hosted by him here.
At a joint press conference with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai following the ceasefire talks, Anwar outlined a step-by-step de-escalation process and the mechanism through which it will be implemented and monitored.
“Both Cambodia and Thailand reached a common understanding as follows — an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with effect from 24:00 hours (local time) on 28 July 2025. This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” he said.
According to Anwar, the initial ceasefire will be followed by the reestablishment of contacts between the regional army commanders on both sides through a face-to-face meeting at 7 a.m. local time on July 29, which will be followed by a meeting of the defense attaches of both sides, led by the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) if both sides are agreeable, and finally a meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) on Aug. 4 to be hosted by Cambodia.
“As the current chair of ASEAN, Malaysia stands ready to coordinate an observer team to verify and ensure the implementation of the ceasefire. Malaysia will also consult with fellow ASEAN member states to participate in the observation effort, reflecting a regional commitment to supporting peace on the ground,” he said.
“Both sides also agree to resume direct communications between both prime ministers, foreign ministers and defense ministers,” Anwar added. ■
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (C), Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (L) and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai shake hands in Putrajaya, Malaysia, July 28, 2025. Thailand and Cambodia’s leaders have agreed to implement a ceasefire starting midnight on Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said following a meeting hosted by him here. (Bernama via Xinhua)
Thailand and Cambodia agree immediate and unconditional ceasefire – Malaysian PM
Malaysia and Thailand have agreed to an ‘immediate and unconditional ceasefire’ with effect from midnight local time. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, which have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. The Chinese and American ambassadors to Malaysia attended the meeting, which lasted more than two hours and was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia. ASEAN is a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic co-operation. The US is a co-organiser of the talks, with participation from China. The UN Security Council has called for an end to the violence in the region by the end of the month, and called for a ceasefire.
The fighting flared on Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, left and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, right, shake hands as Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures after talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, which have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides.
Hun Manet and Mr Phumtham have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” with effect from midnight local time, Mr Anwar said as he read out a joint statement.
Mr Anwar, who hosted the talks as annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc, said both sides have reached a common understanding to take steps to return to normalcy following what he called frank discussions.
“This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” he said.
As part of the ceasefire deal, military commanders from both sides will begin to hold talks on Tuesday to defuse tensions while Cambodia will host a border committee meeting on August 4, Mr Anwar said.
The foreign and defence ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand have also been instructed to “develop a detailed mechanism” to implement and monitor the ceasefire to ensure sustained peace, he added.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, centre, speaks during a press conference next to Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, centre right, and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
Hun Manet said he hoped that bilateral ties could return to normal soon so that some 300,000 villagers evacuated on both sides could return home.
It is “time to start rebuilding trust, confidence and co-operation going forward between Thailand and Cambodia”, he said.
Mr Phumtham said the outcome reflected “Thailand’s desire for a peaceful resolution”.
The Malaysian meeting followed direct pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue.
The joint statement said that the US is a co-organiser of the talks, with participation from China.
The Chinese and American ambassadors to Malaysia attended the meeting, which lasted more than two hours.
President Trump made this happen. Give him the Nobel Peace Prize! pic.twitter.com/raTYvUcDPL — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 28, 2025
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted news of the ceasefire on X and wrote: “President Trump made this happen. Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!”
The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic co-operation.
Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home.
News of the ceasefire brought relief and hope to evacuees from both sides.
Some women at a crowded evacuation shelter in Surin, Thailand, shouted for joy.
“I’m happy about that, and feeling a bit relieved,” said Usa Dasri, a vendor and farmer.
“We miss our home. There are many small things I’m worried about, livestock and rice fields. I don’t know what might’ve happened to them. I want to go home, so I’m happy. I also think about our soldiers at the front line. I want them to be safe and have a good sleep like us.”
She also credited outside diplomacy for the breakthrough.
Thai residents who fled their homes following the clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers celebrate at an evacuation centre in Surin province, Thailand, after hearing news of an ‘immediate and unconditional’ ceasefire (Sakchai Lalit/AP)
“Without them, our two countries would have had a hard time negotiating – both sides have quite a hard time talking and understanding each other,” she added.
Cambodian evacuees echoed the sentiment.
Chhuot Nhav, 42, who fled her home in Oddar Meanchey province, a front line for the fighting, said she was happy but also wary.
“I am happy because I can go home and take care of my pigs, dog, chickens and my kids can now go back to school,” said Chhuot Nhav, from under a series of green tarps that stretched out to the length of a school bus.
But she said she will “wait until the fighting really stops” before heading back.
Another farmer, Kong Sin, however said he would head back home on Tuesday if the ceasefire took place as agreed.
The 800-kilometre (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief.
The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and rocked Thailand’s domestic politics.
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire after deadly border clashes
Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire in their escalating border dispute. Cambodia and Thailand “reached a common understanding” that a ceasefire will begin at midnight. The countries also agreed to convene an ‘informal meeting’ of their respective regional military commanders at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. The neighbors, which both amassed troops at their border regions, blamed each other for instigating the violence and said they acted in self-defense. President Donald Trump spoke last week with the leaders of Cambodia and Thai and said their conflict threatened to derail negotiations over a possible trade deal. He said Sunday that he believed Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle the dispute. The United States announced steep tariffs against numerous countries in April in a move that shocked many economists and America’s allies.
“This is a vital first step towards a de-escalation and a restoration of peace and security,” Anwar said of the ceasefire announcement.
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Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to convene an “informal meeting” of their respective regional military commanders at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Anwar said, followed by a meeting of defense attaches “if both sides are agreeable.” Malaysia, as this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, will lead the meeting, Anwar said.
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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, were present as Anwar read the statement and shook hands at the end of the news conference.
Hun Manet said the meeting yielded “very good results” and expressed hope that it would “stop immediately the fighting that have caused many lives lost, injuries, and also caused a lot of displacement of people.”
Long-simmering tensions between Cambodia and Thailand escalated into open conflict last week as the countries exchanged heavy fire across a dozen of locations on their disputed border, with Reuters reporting at least 36 people killed in the fighting, mostly civilians. Hun Manet said Monday that about 300,000 people have had to flee their homes on both sides of the border because of the violence.
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The neighbors, which both amassed troops at their border regions, blamed each other for instigating the violence and said they acted in self-defense.
In a statement on Sunday, the foreign ministers of ASEAN member states said they were “deeply concerned over the ongoing situation at the border areas between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand, which have resulted in increasing number of casualties on both sides and destruction of public properties, as well as displacement of a large number of people along the border areas.”
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China and the United States have intervened to try to facilitate a temporary ceasefire. President Donald Trump spoke last week with the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand and said their conflict threatened to derail negotiations over a possible trade deal.
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Trump announced steep tariffs against numerous countries in April in a move that shocked many economists and America’s allies. As part of that package, Trump announced a 49 percent tariff on Cambodian goods and a 36 percent tariff on goods from Thailand. He has since reduced the Cambodian rate to 36 percent.
“We happen to be, by coincidence, currently dealing on Trade with both Countries, but do not want to make any Deal, with either Country, if they are fighting — And I have told them so!” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social. He said Sunday that he believed Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle.
Some officials were critical of Trump’s attempt to use trade negotiations as leverage to pressure both sides into a ceasefire. Thai Sen. Chaiyong Maneerungsakul told The Washington Post: “It is like indirect coercion to force Thailand to end the fighting with Cambodia first, by using tariffs as leverage.”
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“I believe many Thais are uncomfortable and worried about this, fearing that Thailand might be at a disadvantage in negotiations with Cambodia regarding the border,” he said in an interview Monday before the ceasefire announcement.