Thailand accuses Cambodia of violating ceasefire with drone activity along border

Thailand's military has accused Cambodia of violating a newly signed ceasefire agreement, following weeks of deadly border clashes that displaced nearly one million people. The Royal Thai Army claims that over 250 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected flying across the border from Cambodia late Sunday (December 28) night, just days after the ceasefire was put into effect.

The ceasefire, which began on Saturday (December 27) at noon local time (05:00 GMT), was hailed as a significant breakthrough after intense negotiations between the two countries, with diplomatic backing from China and the United States. Both sides agreed to halt military reinforcements, freeze the current positions along the border, and allow civilians to safely return to their homes.

However, Thailand's military statement on Monday described Cambodia’s actions as "provocation" and a breach of the agreed-upon measures to reduce tensions. The army emphasised that such activities were inconsistent with the terms of the ceasefire. Furthermore, it warned that Thailand might reconsider the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand since July, depending on the continuation of these violations. Cambodia, on the other hand, downplayed the incident. Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn called the drone sightings a "small issue" and suggested both sides had witnessed similar activities along the border.

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The situation escalates just hours after both China and the United States praised the ceasefire. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi called it a "hard-won" peace agreement, while US President Donald Trump also praised the quick resolution. The dispute between the two countries has historical roots, stretching back more than a century. This recent flare-up began earlier in the year when Cambodian women sang patriotic songs at a disputed temple.

Tensions further intensified when a Cambodian soldier was killed during clashes in May, leading to five days of heavy fighting that resulted in numerous deaths and thousands of displaced civilians. A fragile ceasefire had been agreed upon in July and formalised in October, but it collapsed earlier this month when fresh skirmishes broke out. Both countries blamed each other for the ceasefire’s failure.