US President Donald Trump has co-signed a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during the first stop of his Asia tour in Malaysia.
The accord, aimed at ending months of deadly border clashes, was signed alongside Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
According to a statement from Cambodia’s foreign ministry, the agreement includes the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war. The border conflict, which began in July, claimed more than 40 lives and displaced around 300,000 people from their homes. Although both nations had reached an initial ceasefire later that month, they continued to trade accusations of violations, prompting renewed mediation efforts by regional leaders.
In the joint declaration witnessed by Trump, both Anutin and Hun Manet reaffirmed their “firm commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force” and pledged to maintain peace and stability along their shared border. The two leaders sealed the agreement with a symbolic handshake.
President Trump praised the historic development, calling it “a momentous day for all of the people of Southeast Asia,” as he lauded the commitment to ending hostilities between the two countries. He also revealed that, in addition to the peace deal, the United States had reached “a major trade deal with Cambodia and a very important critical minerals agreement with Thailand,” further deepening regional cooperation.
While the ceasefire marks a major diplomatic achievement, analysts noted that a final comprehensive peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia remains pending. Efforts to address underlying territorial and security disputes are expected to continue in the coming months.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Mohamad Hasan, who represented ASEAN in the mediation process, explained that the new ceasefire agreement emphasizes the deployment of regional observers to monitor compliance in conflict zones. “We want there to be no more ceasefire violations because after July 28, although the ceasefire was in place, there were… minor violations,” he said.
He further outlined that both nations must now withdraw heavy weapons from contested areas and begin demining operations to remove and destroy explosives along the border. The move is seen as an essential step toward rebuilding trust and ensuring lasting peace between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
What You Should Know
The ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, co-signed by US President Donald Trump in Malaysia, marks a critical breakthrough in resolving a border conflict that killed over 40 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The pact includes the release of Cambodian prisoners, regional monitoring mechanisms, and commitments to demilitarize and demine border areas. While hailed as a major diplomatic victory, a final peace treaty is still required to cement long-term stability in the region.
