Thailand, Cambodia Start Ceasefire Talks Amid Trump Trade Threat
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet are holding discussions Monday in Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facilitating the dialogue in his role as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with Washington and Beijing dispatching envoys.
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Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Old military exercise photo misrepresented as Thailand-Cambodia clashes
A long-standing territorial dispute between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia erupted into conflict with jets, tanks, and ground troops battling in a rural border region in July 2025. But an image of aircraft supposedly from the fighting was in fact shared by the Thai Royal Air Force weeks earlier in a post about a joint air drill with Indonesia. "Thailand launches AIR STRIKES on Cambodian military targets," reads a post shared July 25, 2025 on X that features the photo. Similar posts also ricocheted on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as the bloodiest military clashes in more than a decade erupted between Thailand and Cambodia (archived link). At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since the dramatic escalation in hostilities between the neighbouring countries over their jungle-clad frontier, which is home to a smattering of contested ancient temples. Both sides began discussing a ceasefire on July 28 at the residence of Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim, serving chair of the ASEAN bloc of which Thailand and Cambodia are members. However, a reverse image search of keyframes on Google traced the picture to a Facebook post from the Thai Royal Air Force on June 16, 2025, weeks before fighting started (archived link). "Images of the collaboration between the strong air forces of Thailand and Indonesia through the mixed drills," reads part of the caption, adding that the exercise took place from June 9 to 19. "Both countries' air forces took to the skies above southern Esan," it goes on to say, referring to the northwestern region of Thailand. The Royal Thai Air Force also published a press release on its official website about the conclusion of the joint air drills with Indonesia on June 20, 2025 (archived link). Matching visuals -- including the aircraft images and the logo -- can also be seen in a June 19 article about the joint Thai-Indonesian air drill on a dedicated blog (archived link). AFP has debunked more misinformation on the Thailand-Cambodia dispute here, here and here. Solve the daily Crossword
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Thailand and Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire to end deadly border row, Malaysian PM says
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an 'unconditional' ceasefire starting at midnight, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Monday, a significant breakthrough to resolve five days of deadly border clashes that have killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands of people. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai hailed the outcome of the meeting and shook hands along with Anwar at the conclusion of the brief press conference in Malaysia. The fighting began Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. Hun Manet and Phumtham have agreed to an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' with effect from midnight local time, Anwar said as he read out a joint statement. Anwar, who hosted the talks as annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, said both sides have reached a common understanding to take steps to return to normalcy following what he called frank discussions. 'This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,' Anwar said. As part of the ceasefire deal, military commanders from both sides will begin to hold talks Tuesday to defuse tensions while Cambodia will host a border committee meeting on Aug. 4. he said. The foreign and defense ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand have also been instructed to 'develop a detailed mechanism' to implement and monitor the ceasefire to ensure sustained peace, he added. Hun Manet said he hoped that bilateral ties could return to normal soon so that some 300,000 villagers evacuated on both sides could return home. It is 'time to start rebuilding trust, confidence and cooperation going forward between Thailand and Cambodia,' he said. Phumtham said the outcome reflected 'Thailand's desire for a peaceful resolution.' The Malaysian meeting followed direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. The joint statement said that the U.S. is a co-organizer of the talks, with participation from China. The Chinese and American ambassadors to Malaysia attended the meeting that lasted over two hours. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted news of the ceasefire on X and wrote: 'President Trump made this happen. Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!' The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic cooperation. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. News of the ceasefire brought relief and hope to evacuees from both sides. Some women at a crowded evacuation shelter in Surin, Thailand, shouted for joy. 'I'm happy about that, and feeling a bit relieved,' said Usa Dasri, a vendor and farmer. 'We miss our home. There are many small things I'm worried about, livestock and rice fields. I don't know what might've happened to them. I want to go home, so I'm happy. I also think about our soldiers at the frontline. I want them to be safe and have a good sleep like us.' She also credited outside diplomacy for the breakthrough. 'Without them, our two countries would have had a hard time negotiating — both sides have quite a hard time talking and understanding each other,' she added. Cambodian evacuees echoed the sentiment. Chhuot Nhav, 42, who fled her home in Oddar Meanchey province, a frontline for the fighting, said she was happy but also wary. 'I am happy because I can go home and take care of my pig, dog, chickens and my kids can now go back to school,' said Chhuot Nhav, from under a series of green tarps that stretched out to the length of a school bus. But she said she will 'wait until the fighting really stops' before heading back. Another farmer Kong Sin, however said he would head back home Tuesday if the ceasefire took place as agreed. The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics . ________ Jintamas reported from Surin, Thailand, and Sopheng Cheang from Samrong, Cambodia. Associated Press writers Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
US senator wants Musk to block use of Starlink by financial fraud groups in Southeast Asia
By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Democratic senator on Monday urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to block transnational criminal groups in Southeast Asia from using Starlink satellite internet service to commit fraud against Americans. Senator Maggie Hassan cited recent reports that Starlink is being used to facilitate fraud against Americans by a broad range of transnational criminal organizations operating "scam compounds" in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said these groups defrauded Americans out of billions of dollars, she added. "Scam networks in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, however, have apparently continued to use Starlink despite service rules permitting SpaceX to terminate access for fraudulent activity," Hassan wrote in a letter to Musk seen by Reuters. "SpaceX has a responsibility to block criminals from using the service to target Americans." SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. For years, criminal networks have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to scam compounds across Southeast Asia, including many along the Thai-Myanmar border, where victims are forced to work in illegal online schemes, according to the United Nations. "While most people have probably noticed the increasing number of scam texts, calls, and emails they're receiving, they may not know that transnational criminals halfway across the world may be perpetrating these scams by using Starlink internet access," Hassan wrote. Since February, Thailand has halted electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to five Myanmar border areas, including Myawaddy, in a bid to disrupt the scam centers, which have become an escalating regional security concern. International pressure to shut down the scam centers intensified following the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was kidnapped after arriving in Thailand in January. He was later rescued by Thai police, who located him across the border in Myanmar. Criminal networks, mainly emanating from China, are known to run several of these scam centers, including those in the Myawaddy region, according to the United States Institute of Peace.
