Thai defence minister to join talks for border truce with Cambodia
Thai defence minister to join talks for border truce with Cambodia
Thailand's defence minister joins Cambodian border talks as clashes persist, aiming for a renewed ceasefire and a potential deal from the July pact brokered with US help.
Thailand’s defence minister is set to join border talks with Cambodia on Saturday as negotiators press for a ceasefire amid weeks of clashes along the frontier. The prime minister in Bangkok said the discussions could yield a deal in line with a July pact brokered with the help of the United States, provided both sides keep their promises not to threaten, offend, instigate, or escalate hostility.
Hostilities have continued for a third week, with both sides accusing the other of violations as fighting along the border at a crossing began on December 24. Since the ceasefire collapsed in early December, the toll has been steep, with at least 98 people killed on both sides and more than half a million displaced, underscoring the urgent need for progress at the talks.
International and regional actors have been urging restraint. ASEAN, with Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim chairing the bloc, has led efforts to de-escalate tensions, while Beijing has pressed for an end to the fighting. China’s special envoy for Asian affairs Deng Xijun has conducted discussions in Bangkok and Phnom Penh in recent days, signaling growing regional pressure for a durable settlement.
If a durable agreement can be reached, it would mirror the July truce framework and could pave the way for civilians to return home and for normal life to resume along the border. The Thai and Cambodian leaders have signaled a willingness to push ahead with diplomacy, even as both sides accuse each other of continued strikes. The talks at the border crossing, ongoing since December 24, remain the focal point of international hopes for a peaceful resolution.
For residents along the frontier, the priority remains safety and stability, with diplomacy seen as the only viable path to a long-term settlement after weeks of renewed fighting.
