Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” starting at midnight on Monday, aiming to halt their deadliest border conflict in more than a decade, which has displaced over 300,000 people in just five days of fighting.
Following diplomatic efforts led by Malaysia, the current chair of the regional ASEAN bloc, as well as interventions by the United States and China, the leaders of both countries agreed to end hostilities, resume direct communication, and establish a mechanism to enforce the ceasefire, Reuters reports.
“This is a crucial first step towards de-escalation and restoring peace and security,” said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at a press conference, flanked by the Thai and Cambodian leaders, after more than two hours of negotiations at his residence in Putrajaya.
The ceasefire talks were the result of Anwar’s sustained diplomatic push and direct calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to both leaders over the weekend, in which Trump warned he would suspend trade deals if the fighting continued. Both countries currently face a 36% tariff on their goods entering the U.S., their largest export market.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump congratulated all parties and confirmed that he spoke with the Thai and Cambodian leaders, instructing his trade team to resume negotiations.
