The guns finally fell silent along a volatile stretch of the Thailand-Cambodia border early Tuesday. The uneasy calm follows a ceasefire deal struck late Monday between acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, offering hope of de-escalation after the region’s worst cross-border conflict in over a decade.
The truce comes after five days of intense artillery and small arms exchanges that killed at least 38 people—many of them civilians—and forced over 300,000 residents to flee their homes. Though some minor incidents of gunfire were reported early Tuesday, both sides have largely held fire, and military commanders are now set to meet for direct talks, raising cautious optimism among locals and international observers alike.
“There is no escalation,” Phumtham told reporters Tuesday morning. “Right now, things are calm.”
Despite the ceasefire, tension lingers. According to the Thai army, Cambodian forces carried out attacks in at least five locations in the early hours of Tuesday, breaching the midnight ceasefire deadline. The Thai military said it had responded “proportionately,” but declined to disclose further tactical details. Still, both governments have been careful not to characterize the incidents as deliberate provocations.
Cambodia’s defense ministry rejected Thailand’s accusations, with spokeswoman Maly Socheata asserting that “no armed clashes against each other in any regions” had occurred. Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha went further, stating on Facebook that his army had “strictly abided by the ceasefire,” and invited diplomats and foreign military attachés to tour the border areas to verify the calm.
Tea Seiha also announced a high-level follow-up meeting scheduled for August 4 in Phnom Penh, where Thai and Cambodian officials will convene to review the situation and discuss next steps in managing their longstanding border dispute.
Military commanders from both sides held preliminary talks Tuesday morning in Trat and Chanthaburi provinces, areas near flashpoints of the recent clashes. One of the fiercest battles reportedly occurred near the historic Preah Vihear temple complex—an area contested by both countries for decades.
A planned meeting between field commanders in the heavily impacted Sisaket region was delayed from 10 a.m. to a later undisclosed time, but officials emphasized that logistical hiccups, not hostility, were to blame.
Meanwhile, in Sisaket’s Kantharalak district—just 30 kilometers from the frontlines—signs of normal life returned as local shops reopened and roads filled with civilian and military vehicles. Residents, many of whom had spent nights in shelters or fled to other provinces, welcomed the truce with relief and cautious optimism.
“I am very happy that a ceasefire happened,” said Chaiya Phumjaroen, 51, a shopkeeper who returned to town early Tuesday. “If they continue to fight, we have no opportunity to make money.”
The roots of the latest border crisis trace back decades. Thailand and Cambodia have long disputed parts of their 800-kilometer shared frontier, particularly around the 11th-century Hindu temple of Preah Vihear, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962. Tensions flared anew in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish near that area.
That incident triggered a series of tit-for-tat military deployments and accusations of encroachment, culminating in last week’s outbreak of heavy fighting. Artillery fire, rocket attacks, and ground incursions left several villages flattened and dozens dead, prompting mass evacuations on both sides of the border.
This week’s ceasefire marks the first serious attempt at diplomatic engagement since the crisis erupted. Analysts note that the change in tone was driven as much by economic imperatives as by humanitarian concerns.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Monday’s ceasefire deal emerged after intensive lobbying from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders worked behind the scenes to bring the feuding Southeast Asian neighbors to the table, using both incentives and threats to steer them toward peace.
Trump, who has long styled himself a dealmaker, reportedly warned both Phumtham and Hun Manet that continued hostilities would jeopardize crucial trade negotiations with Washington. Thailand and Cambodia are currently subject to a 36% tariff on exports to the U.S.—their largest trading partner—and had been pushing for reductions.
After the ceasefire was signed, Trump said he had spoken directly to both leaders and had instructed U.S. trade officials to “restart tariff negotiations immediately.”
“We want peace, not war, in Southeast Asia,” Trump said in a brief White House statement. “Trade incentives will follow stability.”
In Thailand, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira echoed the sentiment, telling reporters that talks with the U.S. were back on track and that a new trade arrangement could be finalized “before August 1.” He added that the final tariff rate “will likely be much lower than 36%.”
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Casualties: At least 38 people killed (27 Cambodians, 11 Thais), including 14 women and 6 children, according to Red Cross and local health officials.
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Displacement: Over 300,000 civilians displaced from both sides of the border; more than 150 evacuation shelters set up in Thailand.
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Infrastructure Damage: 8 villages reportedly destroyed or partially damaged, including schools, clinics, and temples; electricity grids down in 12 areas.
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Economic Losses: Estimated damage to Thai and Cambodian local economies exceeds $150 million due to destruction, closure of cross-border trade, and loss of agricultural output.
The United Nations and several regional bodies have expressed concern over the humanitarian toll of the conflict. UNICEF warned that more than 40,000 children have been affected by the fighting, many of whom remain in temporary shelters with limited access to clean water, education, and medical aid.
The ASEAN Secretariat issued a statement welcoming the ceasefire but urging both sides to commit to “sustained, verifiable, and inclusive dialogue.” Indonesia and Vietnam, two key ASEAN members, offered to mediate further discussions if required.
“This must not become another frozen conflict,” said ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. “We call on Thailand and Cambodia to prioritize diplomacy and the rule of law.”
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which includes Malaysia, also played a behind-the-scenes role in promoting dialogue, particularly through Anwar Ibrahim’s efforts.
Back home, the ceasefire presents mixed political consequences for leaders on both sides.
In Thailand, Phumtham Wechayachai—serving as acting prime minister following the hospitalization of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin—faces scrutiny over the military’s preparedness and response. While many praise his quick turn to diplomacy, hardliners within the Thai parliament are demanding an investigation into why border defenses were breached so easily.
In Cambodia, Hun Manet, the son of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, is facing his first major foreign policy test since taking power last year. His government has taken a defensive stance in public but is reportedly wary of alienating international investors and risking sanctions.
“This conflict may have been driven more by local military rivalries and historical mistrust than by any central government strategy,” said Sophal Ear, a Cambodian political analyst based in California. “But how both leaders handle the aftermath will define their credibility.”
While the guns have fallen silent for now, few believe the dispute is permanently resolved. The border remains ill-defined in many areas, and overlapping claims near natural resources—especially timber, minerals, and water—are likely to rekindle tensions unless a lasting legal framework is established.
A joint border commission between Thailand and Cambodia has existed since 2000 but has made little headway due to nationalist sentiment and bureaucratic inertia on both sides.
Experts say a long-term solution would require:
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Demarcation of the disputed frontier based on updated satellite mapping
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Joint security patrols and observation posts in contested areas
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Establishment of buffer zones under ASEAN supervision
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Community-level dialogue between local Thai and Cambodian leaders
