Thailand insists Cambodia must be the first to declare a ceasefire to stop renewed border fighting that has killed at least 32 people and displaced about 800,000. Both sides accuse each other of aggression as clashes involving artillery, tanks and jets spread across seven provinces. Cambodia says Thai forces advanced into its territory and struck Siem Reap; Thailand calls for sincere cooperation on de-mining. ASEAN foreign ministers will meet on December 22 to pursue a diplomatic resolution.
Thailand Demands Cambodia Declare Ceasefire First Amid Deadly Border Clashes
Displaced residents rest at an evacuation centre at Chang International Circuit in the Thai border province of Buriram (Lillian SUWANRUMPHA)(Lillian SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/AFP)
Thailand said on Tuesday that Cambodia must be the first to announce a ceasefire to halt renewed fighting that has erupted along their shared border.
“As the aggressor onto Thai territory, Cambodia must announce the ceasefire first,”Thai foreign ministry spokeswoman Maratee Nalita Andamo told reporters in Bangkok, adding that Phnom Penh should also cooperate "sincerely" on de-mining operations along the frontier.
The clashes, which reignited in early December, have involved artillery, tanks and jet strikes and have so far killed at least 32 people — including 16 Thai soldiers, one Thai civilian and 15 Cambodian civilians — and forced roughly 800,000 people from their homes, officials said. Fighting has spread to seven provinces on each side of the border.
Disputed Claims and International Involvement
Both Bangkok and Phnom Penh accuse the other of initiating the attacks and each frames its actions as self-defence. Cambodia told reporters that Thai forces had pushed "deep into" Cambodian territory and accused Bangkok of bombing Siem Reap province, home to the Angkor temple complex. Thailand denied some outside claims that a formal truce had been agreed.
US President Donald Trump last week said the two countries had agreed to a ceasefire beginning Saturday night. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Cambodia supported a Malaysia-led ceasefire initiative with Washington taking part, but fighting has continued daily since December 7.
Background And Diplomatic Efforts
The long-running confrontation stems from a territorial dispute rooted in colonial-era border demarcations and contested ancient temple ruins along the roughly 800-kilometre frontier. Previous flare-ups in July and later months led to ceasefires brokered by regional and global powers, but those truces collapsed within months.
ASEAN foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Malaysia on December 22 for emergency talks aimed at securing a diplomatic solution. Thailand and Cambodia have both faced pressure to de-escalate while addressing allegations over landmines and cross-border attacks.
Humanitarian Impact
Thai authorities said between 5,000 and 6,000 Thai nationals remained stranded in the Cambodian border town of Poipet after Phnom Penh closed land crossings on Saturday. Cambodia's interior ministry described the closures as a "necessary measure" to reduce risks to civilians amid ongoing combat and said air travel remained an alternative for departures.
Both sides have urged international mediation, and observers warn that continued fighting near populated areas and cultural heritage sites could deepen the humanitarian and diplomatic fallout.
