Mending fences: Cambodia and Thailand agree to de-escalate border tensions during meeting in Malaysia

“I wish to reiterate Cambodia’s determination to work collectively, in good faith, and in close cooperation with Thailand and Malaysia and other fellow ASEAN member states and all relevant partners to ensure a safe, final, and effective implementation and resolve all disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the ASEAN Charter,”

-- Cambodia Defense Chief General Tea Seiha


by Taing Rinith
August 8, 2025

Military leaders of Cambodia and Thailand agree to a comprehensive ceasefire and monitoring mechanism at the Extraordinary GBC Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, marking a pivotal step toward de-escalation after recent border clashes.

Yesterday saw the first positive update in the past week on the Cambodia-Thailand border tensions after the military leaders of both countries agreed upon a comprehensive de-escalation framework at the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting attended by third-party observers in Kuala Lumpur.

The GBC meeting was a result of the ceasefire agreement signed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on July 28 in Putrajaya, and witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, following five days of ferocious military clashes along the Cambodian-Thai border.

General Tea Seiha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia, and General Nattaphon Nakphanit, Acting Deputy Minister of Defence of Thailand, attended the meeting yesterday. Representatives of Malaysia, the United States and China were present as observers.

At the heart of the agreement is a firm commitment to a full ceasefire, including the cessation of all forms of attacks – military or otherwise – against civilians, civilian infrastructure, and military objectives. The ceasefire, which took effect on midnight of July 28, mandates that both sides freeze their troop deployments and abstain from any movement or reinforcement that could heighten tensions.

“No further military advancements, patrols, or aerial incursions across the current lines are permitted,” the meeting minutes read. “All forms of provocation that could escalate the situation must be avoided.”

Additionally, both nations pledged not to construct or upgrade any military fortifications beyond their current positions.

“In the event of an armed conflict, whether intentional or unintentional, both sides must promptly consult at the local level through existing bilateral mechanisms to prevent the situation from escalating along the entire border,” the minutes said.

“Prolonged conflict would endanger the safety of civilians and soldiers on both sides and heighten tensions, thereby complicating efforts toward a joint resolution.”

Cambodia and Thailand reaffirmed a commitment to international humanitarian law, especially in their treatment of captured soldiers.

According to the minutes, captured soldiers shall be immediately released and repatriated after the cessation of active hostilities in accordance with Article 118 of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949 and Rule 128 (A) of the Customary International Humanitarian Law.

“If one side wishes to bring in its own wounded soldiers or civilians who are not under the control of the other side for medical treatment, the receiving side may determine its response based on the capacity of its medical facilities, including available equipment, personnel, or medical ethics, on a case-by-case basis,” the minutes said.

National Defence Minister General Tea Seiha (L) and Thai Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit sign the minutes of the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Ministry of National Defence
It added that the two parties reached agreement on exchanging information on and facilitating “the dignified and timely return” of deceased individuals at an agreed location without crossing the border. Additionally, they have to take proper measures to identify and manage the dead under sanitary and respectful conditions to “prevent the deceased from disappearing in death”.

To prevent miscommunication or flare-ups, both sides agreed to strengthen direct communication between military commanders at all levels. The respective Regional Border Committees (RBCs) will reconvene within two weeks to continue discussions and maintain local-level coordination.

Notably, both countries also pledged to refrain from spreading false or inflammatory information in local and international media, highlighting the importance of truthful communication in fostering peace and reducing public anxiety.

On a mechanism for the implementation of the ceasefire arrangement, Cambodia and Thailand consented to the creation of an ASEAN observer team, led by Malaysia, to monitor and verify the situation on the ground.

While the ASEAN team is being prepared, both sides will establish interim observer teams (IOTs), consisting of defence attachés from ASEAN member states accredited in their respective countries, to be led by Malaysian defence attachés.

“The composition of each country’s IOT is independently invited by the host country in consultation with Malaysia. The IOT will operate without crossing the border and will work in close coordination and consultation with the RBCs and GBC of each country,” the minutes said.

“These observers, led by Malaysian defence attachés, will operate independently and without crossing borders, reporting directly to the GBC through national military channels.”

Both sides agreed to hold the next GBC meeting within a month from August. If circumstances demand, an emergency session will be called immediately to review the ceasefire and regional security situation.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Gen Seiha expressed his appreciation to the Malaysian government for providing a venue for the meeting and its participation as an observer in the talks.

He also thanked the US and China for sending their observers.

“This step is a life-saving measure and will be the groundwork for restoring confidence, trust, and normalcy between our two countries,” he said, adding that Cambodia finds it important to ensure a sustained and accountable ceasefire, which will serve as a foundation for lasting peace and stability.

“I wish to reiterate Cambodia’s determination to work collectively, in good faith, and in close cooperation with Thailand and Malaysia and other fellow ASEAN member states and all relevant partners to ensure a safe, final, and effective implementation and resolve all disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the ASEAN Charter,” Gen Seiha said.

Prime Minister Hun Manet yesterday described the bilateral agreement reached in Malaysia as a significant step forward in maintaining peace and stability along the shared border between Cambodia and Thailand.

“The Cambodian side also requested the prompt release of 18 Cambodian soldiers currently under the custody of the Thai armed forces,” he said.

On Wednesday, Gen Seiha held bilateral defence talks with General Tan Sri Mohammad Nizam Jaffar, Chief of Defence Forces of the Malaysian Armed Forces, and his senior military officials.

According to the Ministry of National Defence’s statement, the Malaysian side had expressed its willingness to cooperate with ASEAN to facilitate the ceasefire process.

“Specifically, Malaysia endorsed the draughting of a Terms of Reference (TOR) and the establishment of an ASEAN Monitoring Team (AMT) – a mechanism that would be responsible for observing and supporting the effective implementation of the truce between the two countries,” the statement reads.

Also on Wednesday, Gen Seiha met with Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, and Edgard Kagan, US Ambassador to Malaysia.

During the meeting, Ambassador Kagan reiterated the United States’ strong support for the ceasefire initiative led by President Donald Trump and facilitated by Malaysia in its role as the ASEAN Chair.

Both the Ambassador and Admiral Paparo emphasised the US commitment to closely monitor the situation to ensure the effective implementation of the ceasefire and confirmed their intention to provide essential logistical and technical support for the prompt establishment of an AMT.

The United States also outlined its ongoing contributions, including military planning, equipment, force delivery systems, aerial surveillance systems, and other advanced technical equipment.

International Relations Institute of Cambodia Director General Kin Phea said the comprehensive ceasefire framework is fruitful only when both conflicting parties agree to implement it in good faith.

“To ensure the effectiveness, all third-party observers must monitor the implementation based on a neutral stance and truth-based perspective,” he said. “Only in such a condition could the framework be the foundation for a long-term peace at the border areas for Cambodia and Thailand.”

Phea called on the citizens and media outlets of both countries to avoid heating up the conflict with ultra-nationalist sentiments and fake news.

“When the military tension is reduced, the psychological and information welfare must be reduced as well,” he added.

Documentation Centre of Cambodia Director Youk Chhang was more sceptical. He said that for long-term security, Cambodia needs to boost its relations with the US.

“Cambodia’s history has been marked by a mistaken belief that neutrality is possible to maintain when it is the epicentre of violent conflict between world powers, but there is no reason Cambodia cannot be a friend to world powers who are engaged in peaceful, even if strained, strategic competition,” he said.

“Cambodia must be a friend to the United States, and it should be more than a friend but also a strategic partner,” Youk added.


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Cambodia and Thailand agree to deploy ASEAN ceasefire monitors

Both sides agree to extend truce, though Thailand still holds 18 Cambodian soldiers taken hours after truce implemented.

Cambodian Defence Minister General Tea Seiha attends a meeting of the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) to discuss the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on August 7, 2025 [Hasnoor Hussain photo

August 8, 2025

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to allow observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to monitor a fragile ceasefire that ended five days of deadly border clashes last month.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s acting Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit concluded four days of talks in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday aimed at thrashing out the terms of the Malaysia-brokered truce, with a joint pledge to continue a freeze on border troop movements and patrols.

The two countries have quarrelled for decades over their 817km (508-mile) undemarcated land border, the latest dispute breaking out after a landmine explosion on the border wounded five Thai soldiers last month, with the resulting fighting killing at least 43 people.

According to a joint statement of the so-called General Border Committee, each country will set up its own interim observer team comprised of defence officials from the ASEAN regional bloc and coordinated by current chair Malaysia, pending the deployment of a formal observer mission.

The United States welcomed the developments as an “important step forward in solidifying the ceasefire arrangement and establishing the ASEAN observation mechanism”, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on Thursday.

“President Trump and I expect the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to fully honor their commitments to end this conflict,” Rubio noted.

The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had warned the nations that he would not conclude trade deals with them if the fighting persisted. Washington subsequently lowered tariffs on goods from the two countries from 36 percent to 19 percent at the beginning of this month.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday, lauding him for his “extraordinary statesmanship” and his “visionary and innovative diplomacy” in a letter addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

“This timely intervention, which averted a potentially devastating conflict, was vital in preventing great loss of lives and paved the pay towards the restoration of peace,” he said.

Shaky deal

Implementation of the deal was initially bumpy, with both Thailand and Cambodia accusing each other of violating international humanitarian laws and breaching the truce in the first few days of its implementation.

While both sides have now extended the shaky deal, the issue of 18 Cambodian soldiers captured just hours after the ceasefire took effect remains a sticking point.

Cambodia had accused Thailand of mistreating the captured men, who initially numbered 20, with two wounded members repatriated on Friday. Thai authorities called the group “prisoners of war” and said they would only be freed and repatriated following an end to the conflict.

The joint statement did not directly mention them, but it noted that the captives should be “immediately released and repatriated after the cessation of active hostilities”.

Tensions have been growing between the two countries since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s domestic politics.