A truce agreement between Thailand and Cambodia got here into effect within the early hours of Tuesday (July 29, 2025), testing whether or not it is going to halt 5 days of open fight which have engulfed their jungle-clad frontier.
Both sides agreed an “unconditional” ceasefire would begin at midnight on Monday to finish battling over a smattering of historical temples in disputed zones alongside their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border.
In Cambodia’s Samraong metropolis — 20 kilometres from the border — an AFP journalist heard a gentle drumbeat of artillery strikes all through Monday, earlier than blast sounds stopped within the half-hour main as much as midnight, with the lull persevering with for half-hour after.
Thailand and Cambodia comply with a ceasefire, says Malaysian PM
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a direct and unconditional ceasefire beginning at midnight, in a transfer to finish lethal border clashes. The announcement was made by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who chaired the talks as the pinnacle of the ASEAN regional bloc. According to Mr Anwar, each nations have reached a mutual understanding and dedicated to taking steps to revive normalcy and peace within the area.
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Elsewhere, Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, which has seen among the most intense fight, was nonetheless quiet 20 minutes after the truce was scheduled to start, its governor Kim Rithy mentioned on Facebook.
Jets, rockets and artillery have killed no less than 38 individuals since Thursday and displaced almost 300,000 extra — prompting intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend.
The flare-up was the deadliest since violence raged sporadically from 2008-2011 over the territory, claimed by each due to a imprecise demarcation made by Cambodia’s French colonial directors in 1907.
The peace deal is about to see navy commanders from either side meet at 07:00am (0000 GMT), earlier than a cross-border committee is convened in Cambodia to additional salve tensions on August 4.
“When I heard the news I was so happy because I miss my home and my belongings that I left behind,” Phean Neth instructed AFP on Monday night at a sprawling camp for Cambodian evacuees on a temple web site away from the combating.
“I am so happy that I can’t describe it,” mentioned the 45-year-old.
‘Good religion’
A joint assertion from each nations, in addition to Malaysia which hosted the peace talks, mentioned the ceasefire was “a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security”.
A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres mentioned in a press release Monday night that “he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing long-standing issues and achieving lasting peace”.
Both sides are courting Mr. Trump for commerce offers to avert his menace of eye-watering tariffs, and the US State Department mentioned its officers had been “on the ground” to shepherd peace talks.
The joint assertion mentioned China additionally had “active participation” within the talks, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN bloc chair Anwar Ibrahim in his nation’s administrative capital Putrajaya.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet thanked Mr. Trump for his “decisive” assist, whereas his counterpart, Thai performing Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, mentioned it needs to be “carried out in good faith by both sides”.
“If they say they’ll stop firing, they must stop completely,” mentioned 43-year-old Thai evacuee Prapakarn Samruamjit within the metropolis of Surin.
Post-truce tariff offers
On the eve of the talks, Thailand’s navy mentioned Cambodian snipers had been camped in one of many contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops alongside the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets.
It mentioned there was combating at seven areas within the rural area, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and fields the place locals farm rubber and rice.
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday, however a discover within the nation’s Royal Gazette mentioned public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok’s Grand Palace had been cancelled amid the strife.
Mr. Trump has threatened each nations with excessive levies in his world tariff blitz except they comply with unbiased commerce offers — however mentioned he would “look forward” to signing them as soon as “peace is at hand”.
Each aspect had already agreed to a truce in precept, whereas accusing the opposite of undermining peace efforts and buying and selling allegations about using cluster bombs and concentrating on of hospitals.
Thailand says 11 of its troopers and 14 civilians have been killed, whereas Cambodia has confirmed solely eight civilian and 5 navy deaths.
However, the Thai navy mentioned it has returned the our bodies of 12 Cambodian troopers killed in fight.
More than 138,000 individuals have fled Thailand’s border areas, whereas round 140,000 have been pushed from their properties in Cambodia.
