Cambodia Pushes for Immediate Ceasefire in Thai Border Talks Amid Sincerity Doubts

By Staff, Agencies

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Monday that the main objective of upcoming talks with Thailand is to secure an immediate ceasefire amid the deadliest border clashes between the two countries in more than a decade.

However, Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, questioned Cambodia’s sincerity ahead of the negotiations.

The emergency talks, hosted by Malaysia as the current chair of ASEAN, follow several days of intensified fighting and diplomatic escalation. According to Hun Manet, the meeting was initiated by US President Donald Trump and is co-organized by the United States, with China also set to participate.

"The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate ceasefire," Hun Manet posted on X, as he departed for Kuala Lumpur.

The conflict, which reignited last week, has seen both countries accuse each other of instigating violence and targeting civilians. Clashes were reported to be ongoing along the disputed border even as the delegations prepared for negotiations.

Thailand's Phumtham expressed skepticism before boarding his flight, saying:

“We are not confident in Cambodia, their actions so far have reflected insincerity in solving the problem.”

He further accused Cambodia of violating international law and endangering civilians, a charge Cambodia strongly denies. In turn, Phnom Penh accuses Thailand of reckless aggression and has called for international condemnation of its actions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that State Department officials would support the peace process, adding that Trump believes both leaders are genuinely interested in ending the hostilities.

The border tensions trace back to late May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish, prompting a military buildup on both sides and threatening the stability of Thailand’s already fragile coalition government.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who proposed the ceasefire talks after violence erupted Thursday, said he expects to chair the negotiations himself. He confirmed that both governments asked him to facilitate the peace effort.

“What is important is an immediate ceasefire,” Anwar told local media.

The root of the dispute lies in a long-standing disagreement over the 817-km [508-mile] land border, particularly the ownership of ancient Hindu temples such as Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear. Although the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, tensions resurfaced in 2008 when Phnom Penh attempted to register it as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cambodia recently asked the ICJ to intervene again, but Thailand maintains it does not recognize the court's authority and insists on a bilateral resolution.