US President Donald Trump co-signed a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday in Malaysia, during the first stop of his Asia tour, which is expected to conclude with talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The ceasefire, which follows months of deadly border clashes, was signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, alongside Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
According to a statement from Cambodia’s foreign ministry, the agreement includes the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war.
Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in July, claiming more than 40 lives and displacing around 300,000 people. Although both countries agreed to an initial truce later that month, each has since accused the other of repeated violations.
In their joint declaration, witnessed by Trump, Anutin and Hun Manet reaffirmed their “firm commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force”.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to peace and security between our two countries,” the agreement stated, with both leaders sealing the deal with a firm handshake.
Trump congratulated the two premiers, describing the event as “a momentous day for all the people of Southeast Asia”.
“This is a historic agreement to end the military conflict between Cambodia and Thailand,” he said, adding that he had also secured “a major trade deal with Cambodia and a significant critical minerals agreement with Thailand.”
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Mohamad Hasan, who represented ASEAN in the negotiations, explained that the agreement includes provisions for deploying regional observers to monitor compliance in conflict zones.
“We want to ensure there are no further ceasefire violations,” Hasan said. “Both countries must withdraw their heavy weapons from border areas and take immediate steps to remove or destroy landmines planted along their shared frontier.”
Analysts note that while the ceasefire marks a significant step towards peace, a comprehensive final peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia remains pending.