Thailand and Cambodia Agree Ceasefire After Deadly Border Clashes
BANGKOK / PHNOM PENH — Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following months of intense fighting along their disputed border, marking a tentative step toward ending one of Southeast Asia’s most serious armed confrontations in years.
The ceasefire, formally announced by defence officials from both nations, came after repeated clashes in 2025 that left dozens of civilians and soldiers dead, displaced hundreds of thousands of people and strained regional diplomacy.
A Long-Standing Dispute Escalates Into Violence
Tension between the two neighbours dates back decades to disagreements over territorial sovereignty along the Cambodian-Thai border, particularly around culturally significant sites such as the Preah Vihear temple area — a flashpoint that has seen recurring skirmishes over the years.
The most recent violence erupted in July 2025, triggered by a landmine explosion that wounded Thai troops and quickly escalated into cross-border exchanges of artillery and rockets. Both armies blamed the other for initiating hostilities.
The clashes rapidly magnified, involving F-16 fighter jets from Thailand, rocket barrages and heavy artillery fire that spread across multiple frontlines, prompting fears among analysts of a wider military escalation in Southeast Asia.
Human Cost and Displacement
The July conflict drew international concern due to its impact on civilians. According to independent assessments, more than 130,000 Thai and Cambodian residents were displaced from villages near the frontier as the fighting intensified, forcing families to shelter in temporary facilities and flee farmland and homes.
Casualty figures varied widely between the two governments, but analyses suggest dozens of deaths on both sides, including civilians caught in shelling and cross-fire.
Terms and Timing of the Ceasefire
Announced on 27 December 2025, the ceasefire commits both countries to halt offensive military movements and refrain from using airspace for combat operations. Cambodia’s defence minister said the deal would allow civilians to begin returning to their homes and restart disrupted services, such as school attendance and agricultural work.
Part of the agreement includes the repatriation of Cambodian soldiers detained by Thai forces during the conflict, contingent on the truce holding for 72 hours.
However, the cessation of hostilities does not erase deep-seated mistrust or fully resolve the dispute. Previous attempts at peace have stalled, and occasional skirmishes and diplomatic tensions persisted even after earlier truces.
Broader Regional and Humanitarian Concerns
International voices, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, have highlighted the broader human cost of the conflict. Renewed fighting late in 2025 around border communities raised alarms about civilian risk, particularly as airstrikes and artillery fire reached areas further from the frontier, threatening people in towns and villages and complicating relief efforts.
The UN rights chief urged both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to return to dialogue and a sustainable peace process, noting that the long history of cooperation between the two nations could form a foundation to rebuild trust.
Diplomacy and Next Steps
Both countries have expressed a hope that the ceasefire will hold and provide space to address underlying issues through diplomatic and regional mechanisms, including ASEAN involvement. Yet analysts warn that the territorial dispute — rooted in colonial-era border demarcations and nationalist sentiment — may prove difficult to resolve without sustained and structured negotiations.
As displaced families begin to consider returning home, the focus is shifting from battlefield ceasefire to humanitarian relief and diplomatic engagement, with both capitals emphasizing a desire to avoid a return to open conflict.
