The Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Manet, stated in remarks that he “made a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim regarding the ceasefire,” urging the United States and Malaysia to verify who fired first in the conflict. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied any ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, asserting that a landmine explosion that killed Thai soldiers was not an ordinary road incident, and that his country would continue military operations until they feel no further harm has occurred.
Trump had stated on Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to cease fighting along the disputed border, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people this week. The United States, China, and Malaysia, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), mediated a ceasefire in July following an initial wave of violence that lasted five days.
In October, Trump endorsed a new joint declaration between Thailand and Cambodia, praising new trade deals after their agreement to extend the truce. However, Thailand suspended the agreement the following month after its soldiers were injured by landmines at the border. Each side accuses the other of reigniting the conflict.
This conflict in Southeast Asia stems from a long-standing dispute over border demarcation dating back to the colonial era, stretching 800 kilometers (500 miles), and has resulted in the displacement of about half a million people from both sides.
