Thailand, Cambodia leaders to hold peace talks in Malaysia after more border clashes

Business Times

2 days ago

[BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH] Thailand and Cambodia's leaders will meet in Malaysia for peace talks on Monday (Jul 27), the Thai government said, as the countries clashed for a fourth day in a deadly border dispute.
At least 34 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced as the countries, both popular tourist destinations, fight over a smattering of contested border temples.
Bangkok announced on Sunday that acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet in Kuala Lumpur for talks mediated by Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the Asean regional bloc of which Thailand and Cambodia are members.
Cambodia has not commented on the planned talks, which are due to begin at 3.00 pm (0700 GMT).
US President Donald Trump, who spoke to both leaders late on Saturday, said they had agreed to 'quickly work out' a ceasefire.
Trump has threatened both nations with eye-watering levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals.
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'When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!' he wrote on social media.
Fresh artillery clashes erupted on Sunday morning near two long-contested ancient temples in the frontier region between northern Cambodia and northeast Thailand which has seen the bulk of the fighting.
'Didn't feel safe'
Cambodian defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said Thai forces began attacking areas around the temples at 4.50 am.
'We rushed to leave the house this morning,' said 61-year-old Thai border resident Maefah, rearranging bin bags of her family's belongings in the back of a truck stopped at a petrol station in Surin province.
'All of my neighbours have already left. And we did not feel safe to stay any longer,' she said, declining to give her surname.
The regular thump of artillery rattled windows in the Cambodian town of Samraong, around 20 km from the front line, AFP journalists said.
Thai army deputy spokesman Ritcha Suksuwanon said Cambodian forces began firing artillery around 4.00 am as the two sides battled for control of strategic positions.
With the conflict enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand issued a warning to its own citizens to 'refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action' against Cambodian migrants living in the country.
Ceasefire calls
Cambodia's Hun Manet on Sunday said his country 'agreed with the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces'.
After Trump's call, Phumtham said he had agreed in principle to enter a ceasefire and start talks.
But on Sunday each side blamed the other again 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 spokeswoman Maly Socheata denied that its forces fired first and accused Thailand of 'deliberate and coordinated acts of aggression'.
The border dispute erupted into combat on Thursday with jets, tanks and ground troops battling in the rural border region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and agricultural land where locals farm rubber and rice.
Thailand says eight of its soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed eight civilian and five military deaths.
The conflict has forced more than 138,000 people to be evacuated 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. AFP