Breaking: Thailand and Cambodia Declare 'Immediate' Ceasefire to End Tensions - What It Means for Southeast Asia

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Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire on Saturday, the two countries said in a joint statement, pledging to end weeks of deadly border clashes.

At least 47 people were killed and more than a million displaced in three weeks of fighting with artillery, tanks, drones and jets, according to official tallies.

The conflict spread to nearly every border province on both sides, shattering an earlier truce for which US President Donald Trump took credit.

“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,” said the statement signed by the two countries’ defence ministers.

The truce applies to “all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas”, it said.

According to a recent statement, an agreement has been reached between both parties to halt all military activities, allowing civilians near the disputed border areas to safely return to their homes.

They also agree to cooperate on de-mining efforts and combating cybercrime.

The ceasefire comes after three days of border talks announced following a crisis meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both Cambodia and Thailand are members.

The United States, China and Malaysia also pushed for the neighbours to cease fighting.

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

This development follows a series of intense clashes in July that resulted in numerous casualties. The fighting between Cambodia and Thailand was temporarily halted through a truce facilitated by the United States, China, and Malaysia. Unfortunately, this ceasefire was short-lived, breaking down just months later.

At least 25 Thai soldiers and one Thai civilian were killed in the latest round of clashes, officials said.

Cambodia, which is outgunned and outspent by Bangkok’s military, said 21 civilians were killed but reported no military deaths — even as the wife of its leader Hun Manet attended a funeral of troops killed in the fighting, according to an official Facebook post.

The fighting was still raging on Friday, with Cambodia accusing Thailand of intensifying its bombardment of disputed border areas and Thai media reporting overnight Cambodian attacks.

The root of the conflict lies in the ownership of certain temple sites, a dispute stemming from ambiguous border lines drawn by Cambodia’s French colonial rulers in 1907. Despite the current ceasefire, these historical boundary issues remain unresolved and will need to be addressed to ensure lasting peace.

But Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul sounded an upbeat note Friday night, announcing that the two countries’ defence ministers would meet the following day and potentially sign a truce.

“You can trust Thailand. We always uphold our agreements and commitments. Let this be the final signing, so that peace can be restored and our people can return home,” he said.

General elections are scheduled to take place in Thailand on 8 February.