Thailand and Cambodia agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Thailand and Cambodia will enter into an unconditional ceasefire starting at midnight on Monday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced.

“Both Cambodia and Thailand reached a common understanding as follows: One, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with effect from 24 hours local time, midnight on 28th July 2025, tonight,” Anwar said after mediation talks in Malaysia.

Thailand and Cambodia began discussing a ceasefire in their festering border dispute on Monday, as the deadly skirmish dragged into a fifth day.

More than 200,000 people fled the frontier as the two exchanged artillery, rockets and gun fire in the disputed area, which is home to a collection of ancient temples.

A series of motorcades, including some sporting US and Chinese flags, arrived at Seri Perdana, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official residence, on Monday afternoon.

A helicopter buzzed over the administrative capital as Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet met shortly after 0700 GMT.

Monday’s meeting comes after US President Donald Trump intervened, making a late-night weekend call to both Southeast Asian leaders, who he said agreed to “quickly work out” a truce.

Anwar, whose country currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is mediating, while US State Department officials and a Chinese delegation were also present.

Ahead of the talks, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and accusations.

Phumtham said Bangkok did not believe Phnom Penh “is acting in good faith.”

Meanwhile, Cambodia’s defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said Monday was “the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia’s territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops”.