Thailand and Cambodia agree to 'immediate' ceasefire

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

The neighbours’ long-standing border conflict reignited this month, shattering an earlier truce and killing at least 47 people, according to official counts. Around a million people have also been displaced.

“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, involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas,” said the statement signed by the two countries’ defence ministers.

Both sides agree to freeze all troop movements and allow civilians living in border areas to return home as soon as possible, the statement said.

They also agree to cooperate on demining efforts and combatting cybercrime.

The ceasefire will go into effect at 12:00 pm (0500 GMT) to end battling over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along the two countries’ shared frontier.

It 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 warring neighbours to resume their ceasefire.

The three countries brokered a truce to end five days of deadly clashes in July, but the ceasefire was short-lived.