Thailand, Cambodia agree to ‘immediate’ ceasefire, ending weeks of deadly border clashes

Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday (Dec 27) announced that they have agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire, ending weeks of deadly border clashes, the two countries said in a joint statement. This comes after a long-standing border conflict was reignited between the neighbours earlier this month, breaching an earlier truce brokered by US President Donald Trump. According to official counts, at least 47 people have been killed, while about a million were displaced.

Both sides have agreed to freeze the movement of troops and allow civilians living in the border regions to return to their homes as soon as possible, the statement said. The ceasefire will go into effect at 12:00 pm (5 am GMT), ending the conflict over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along the two countries' shared frontier. Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to cooperate on demining efforts and combating cybercrime.

“Both sides agree to an immediate ceasefire after the time of signature of this Joint Statement with effect from 12:00 hours noon (local time) on 27 December 2025, involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas,” said the statement signed by the defence ministers of the two countries.

This comes three days after foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Thailand and Cambodia as members, announced a crisis meeting.

The United States, China, and Malaysia had also pushed for the neighbours to resume the ceasefire. Earlier in July, the three countries brokered a truce between Thailand and Cambodia following a five-day military conflict, but the ceasefire was short-lived. The July clashes resulted in the deaths of dozens before the truce came into effect.

The conflict stems from a dispute over territory over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border, where ancient temples are claimed by both sides.

In the latest clashes, at least 25 Thai soldiers and one civilian were killed, while Cambodia said that 21 civilians were killed on its side.