Thailand and Cambodia sign ceasefire agreement, ending 20 days of deadly border clashes

Chanthaburi (The Uttam Hindu): Thai Defense Minister Natthapon Nakpanich and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tee Sia signed a ceasefire agreement on Saturday at a border checkpoint in Thailand's Chanthaburi province. The war has so far claimed 101 lives and displaced more than half a million people on both sides.

Cambodia's Defence Ministry said it had reached agreement with Thailand on the content of a draft joint statement from the third Special Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee meeting on Friday night, which also included ASEAN observers, according to Xinhua news agency.

Ceasefire talks between Thailand and Cambodia began at a border checkpoint in Thailand's Chanthaburi province on Saturday at around 9:40 a.m. local time. Following the breakdown of the ceasefire in July, violence escalated on December 8-9, with Thailand launching fighter jet and artillery strikes and Cambodia responding with rocket fire. Clashes have been reported along disputed sections of the Thailand-Cambodia border, particularly around the Dangrek mountain range, which stretches across northeastern Thailand and northern Cambodia.

This border region is home to numerous ancient Khmer temples, many of which are located close to the border. There has long been a dispute over control of the nearby highlands, and this round of fighting has once again seen troop movements, shelling, and air missions in these areas. The dispute has its roots in the early 1900s, when border lines were established under the French colonial administration in Cambodia. Thailand contends that some maps drawn at that time incorrectly defined the border and did not adhere to natural watershed boundaries outlined in previous agreements.

A major point of contention remains the Preah Vihear Temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that Cambodia has sovereignty over the temple. However, the ruling did not clearly define ownership of the surrounding land, leaving room for differing interpretations by both sides. During the heightened tensions in December, US President Donald Trump said he had spoken separately with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and claimed they had agreed to stop fighting. He described the talks as positive and said both governments had promised to "cease all firing" and work toward restoring peace similar to the previous ceasefire.

Despite these statements, reports of clashes continued, highlighting the lack of coordination between diplomatic pronouncements and the realities on the ground. Officials from both Thailand and Cambodia later confirmed contact, but said the conditions for a ceasefire had not yet been fully satisfied.