Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Immediate Ceasefire After Weeks of Deadly Border Clashes

Thailand and Cambodia have announced an immediate ceasefire aimed at ending weeks of deadly border fighting that has killed dozens and displaced nearly one million civilians, officials from both countries said on Saturday.

In a joint statement, the defense ministers of the two nations confirmed that all military movements along the disputed border would be frozen, and civilians forced to flee the fighting would be permitted to return home. The ceasefire came into force at noon local time.

The agreement also states that once calm is maintained for 72 hours, Thailand will release 18 Cambodian soldiers currently in its custody. The move is described as part of broader confidence-building measures between the two sides.

The ceasefire follows several days of negotiations between Thai and Cambodian officials seeking to contain renewed hostilities that erupted earlier this month, marking the collapse of a previous truce.

Under the terms of the de-escalation agreement, both countries committed to halting attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and military targets. The statement further emphasized that neither side should advance troops, fire weapons without provocation or attempt to gain territory along the contested frontier.

The release of the detained Cambodian soldiers is to be carried out in accordance with the Kuala Lumpur Declaration — a ceasefire accord signed in October in the presence of US President Donald Trump. That earlier agreement, however, unraveled in November after fresh clashes broke out.

Both Bangkok and Phnom Penh have accused each other of violating the previous truce. The Thai army said its forces were responding to Cambodian fire in Si Sa Ket province, where two Thai soldiers were wounded. Cambodia’s defense ministry rejected the claim, asserting that Thai troops initiated attacks in Preah Vihear province and insisting Cambodian forces did not retaliate.

Fighting continued sporadically throughout December. On Friday, Thailand launched air strikes against a disputed border area, which its air force said targeted a fortified Cambodian military position after civilians had evacuated. Cambodian officials condemned the strikes as indiscriminate and accused Thailand of hitting civilian homes.

The renewed conflict has displaced nearly one million people since early December, according to officials, adding to an already severe humanitarian situation in border communities.

Disputes between Thailand and Cambodia over their shared frontier date back more than a century, but tensions escalated sharply in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed. Heavy fighting resumed in July, leaving dozens dead and forcing thousands from their homes.

International mediation, led by Malaysia with backing from Washington, helped secure a fragile ceasefire in October. Dubbed the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords,” the deal called for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and the deployment of an interim observer mission.

However, Thailand later suspended parts of the agreement, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arguing that security conditions along the border had failed to improve, setting the stage for the latest escalation.