Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand, AFP reports, Asia News
"Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire — unconditionally — and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute," AFP said in a post on X quoting Keo, who made the statement following a closed meeting of the Security Council attended by Cambodia and Thailand.
Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire for a second day on Friday as border fighting intensified and spread, while Cambodia's leader said Thailand had agreed to a Malaysian ceasefire proposal but then backed down.
ALSO READ: Thailand rejects international mediation to end fighting with Cambodia
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Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Thai, Cambodian leaders set for peace talks nudged by Trump
Earlier on July 27, Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas. Thai and Cambodian leaders are set for talks on July 28 to halt the deadliest clash between the neighbors in more than a decade, with the US sending mediators after President Donald Trump used tariffs threats to press for a ceasefire. Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet are scheduled to meet in Kuala Lumpur at 3pm local time , according to Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub. The gathering will be at the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who's facilitating the dialogue in his role as the chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean). The first talks since clashes began on July 24 come within 48 hours of Mr Trump saying Thai and Cambodian leaders had agreed to 'quickly work out a ceasefire.' After separate calls with Mr Phumtham and Mr Hun Manet on July 26, Mr Trump had threatened that Washington will not do a trade deal with either country as long as the fighting continued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US officials are on the ground in Malaysia . China, the top trading partner for both the South-east Asian nations and a major backer of Phnom Penh, is due to participate in the talks, officials from Cambodia said. 'Both President Trump and I remain engaged with our respective counterparts for each country and are monitoring the situation very closely,' Mr Rubio said in a statement. 'We want this conflict to end as soon as possible.' Mr Trump's tariff threat set off a flurry of diplomatic activities on July 27 with Mr Anwar eventually getting the two sides to agree to meet. Mr Rubio also spoke to the foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia and urged them to immediately de-escalate tensions while offering US help in future talks. Speaking to reporters just before meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 27, Mr Trump acknowledged the phone calls with the two leaders. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks 'I called the prime ministers of each and I said, 'We're not going to make a trade deal unless you settle the war.' A lot of people killed,' Mr Trump said. 'And I think by the time I got off, I think they want to settle now.' With Mr Trump's Aug 1 tariff deadline looming, trade-reliant Thailand wants to avoid antagonising the US president, especially as its officials have been holding talks to lower the steep 36 per cent planned levy on its exports. Mr Trump has claimed credit for helping halt border clashes earlier this year between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade measures, and is now applying similar pressure in South-east Asia. 'When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!,' Mr Trump said on Truth Social after speaking to Thai and Cambodian leaders on July 26. Thailand's trade talks with the US have included offering expanded access for American goods in an effort to narrow a US$46 billion trade surplus with Washington. Neighboring Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have already secured trade deals with the US in recent weeks. Thailand and Cambodia should not have needed the pressure from Mr Trump, and should have turned to Asean as a natural middle ground to mediate the conflict well before US intervention, said Mr Fuadi Pitsuwan, a lecturer in international relations at Thammasat University in Bangkok. 'In the end, Trump will likely frame the situation as a win: he enforced a ceasefire while securing leverage' to impose punitive tariff rates, he said. Despite the economic stakes, Thailand has taken a firm stance ahead of talks on July 28. Officials say any ceasefire must be tied to bilateral resolution of the dispute, the withdrawal of troops, and a halt to the use of lethal weapons. Cambodia, by contrast, has said it is open to an unconditional cessation of hostilities. The talks are 'intended to listen to all proposals that could contribute to restoring peace,' Mr Houngsub said. 'The Thai government remains committed to defending the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Every square inch of it.' The conflict, which escalated from months of simmering border tension, has killed more than 30 people and displaced over 150,000 civilians on both sides. Thailand has reported 22 fatalities, including eight soldiers, while Cambodia has confirmed 13 deaths, including five military personnel. Heavy artillery fire continued Sunday across their 800km border, with both sides accusing each other of targeting civilians. Thailand has responded by deploying F-16s and Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets to strike Cambodian military positions. Thailand and Cambodia share a history of border disputes, though relations have remained largely stable since a deadly 2011 clash that left dozens dead. The last major flare-up centered on the Preah Vihear temple, a historic flashpoint rooted in colonial-era disagreements. Much of the current dispute stems from maps drawn on differing interpretations of early 20th-century Franco-Siamese treaties, which defined the border between Thailand and Cambodia, then part of French Indochina. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Thai and Cambodian leaders head to Malaysia for peace talks
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A hole in a wall is pictured at a damaged hospital, caused by Cambodia's shelling in Sisaket province, as Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire, Thailand, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH - The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia were set to hold talks in Malaysia on Monday to reach a ceasefire in their deadly border dispute, with the United States saying its officials would be assisting in the peace process. Thailand's government said it was attending talks arranged by Malaysia in its role as chair of the regional ASEAN bloc, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the talks were co-organised by the United States with the participation of China. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said State Department officials were in Malaysia to assist peace efforts, after President Donald Trump had earlier said that he thought both leaders wanted to settle the conflict. "We want this conflict to end as soon as possible," Rubio said in statement released late on Sunday in the U.S. and early Monday in Asia. "State Department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts." Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killing in late May of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse. Hostilities broke out last Thursday and have escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in more than a decade. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks The death toll has risen above 30, including more than 20 civilians, while authorities report that more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas. ANWAR TO CHAIR TALKS Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had proposed ceasefire talks soon after the border dispute erupted into conflict on Thursday, and China and the United States also offered to assist in negotiations. Thailand had said it supported calls for a ceasefire in principle but wanted to negotiate bilaterally, while Cambodia had called for international involvement. Anwar said he expected to chair the negotiations after being asked by representatives of the two governments to try to find a peace settlement, state media agency Bernama reported. "So, I'm discussing the parameters, the conditions, but what is important is (an) immediate ceasefire," he said late on Sunday. REUTERS
Business Times
2 minutes ago
- Business Times
Thailand and Cambodia truce talks due but strikes continue
[SAMRAONG, Cambodia] Thailand and Cambodia's leaders are due to meet for peace talks on Monday, as a festering territorial dispute along their shared frontier dragged into a fifth day of open combat. At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since Thursday as the countries fight over a smattering of contested ancient temples. In an effort initiated by US President Donald Trump, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet at 3.00 pm (0700 GMT) in Kuala Lumpur. China is also expected to send a delegation. Ahead of the talks, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and accusations. 'This is the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia's territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops to grab Cambodia's land,' said defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata. The previous night, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camping in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up It said fighting was ongoing at seven areas along the rural border region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and agricultural land where locals farm rubber and rice. 'The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations,' the Thai military statement read. On Saturday, Trump said he made a late-night call to both leaders, who had agreed to 'quickly work out' a truce. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the summit - which will be mediated by Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim - was also organised 'with the participation of China' - a key trade and political ally. 'The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate ceasefire, which was initiated by President Donald Trump and agreed to by both prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand,' Hun Manet said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US officials 'are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts', while Anwar told domestic media he would focus on securing an 'immediate ceasefire'. Both sides point the finger Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday, but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said his public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace have been cancelled amid the strife. Both Thailand and Cambodia have agreed in principle to a truce - but accused each other of undermining armistice efforts and of firing first. Trump has threatened both countries with eye-watering levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals. 'When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!' he wrote on social media. But each side has also blamed the other for undermining peace efforts. The Thai foreign ministry accused Cambodian forces of firing shells into civilian homes in Surin province. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith,' the ministry said. Meanwhile, Cambodia's defence ministry accused Thailand of 'deliberate and coordinated acts of aggression'. Thailand says eight of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed eight civilian and five military deaths. The Thai military said it had returned the bodies of 12 Cambodian soldiers killed in combat. The conflict has forced more than 138,000 people from Thailand's border regions, and 80,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia. The Cambodian government has also accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions, while Bangkok has accused Phnom Penh of targeting hospitals. With the conflict enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand issued a warning to its citizens to 'refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action' against Cambodian migrants living in the country. REUTERS
