Thailand and Cambodia are set to resume ceasefire talks later this week after deadly clashes along their shared border caused heavy casualties and mass displacement. Thailand’s foreign minister said the new round of talks will focus on detailed and practical negotiations, instead of public statements that bring international pressure but fail to resolve issues on the ground.
The renewed discussions come after a fragile ceasefire agreed in October failed to stop violence. Fighting resumed earlier this month, leading to dozens of deaths and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes near the border.
Thailand’s foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the upcoming talks aim to create a lasting ceasefire that both sides will fully respect. Speaking after a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur, he said earlier ceasefire efforts lacked clear and detailed commitments.
According to Sihasak, the October ceasefire agreement was rushed so it could be witnessed by US President Donald Trump. Because of this haste, the agreement did not clearly reflect the real situation along the border and failed to prevent further clashes.
“This time, we need to carefully discuss the details and make sure the ceasefire truly works on the ground,” Sihasak said. He stressed that both countries must clearly understand and follow the agreement to avoid future violence.
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While Cambodia has publicly stated that it is ready for an unconditional ceasefire, Thailand says it never received any formal proposal directly from Phnom Penh. Thai officials believe Cambodia’s public statements were mainly aimed at drawing international attention rather than solving the dispute through direct talks.
The General Border Committee, which includes officials from both countries, is scheduled to meet on Wednesday. The committee will discuss specific steps such as troop positions, weapons withdrawal, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the ceasefire holds.
The border conflict is rooted in a long-standing territorial dispute, with both countries claiming certain areas along their shared border. Tensions have flared many times in the past, but the recent clashes have been among the deadliest in years.
The latest round of fighting began on December 8, a day after a border skirmish injured two Thai soldiers. Since then, violence has spread across several border areas, with both sides using heavy weapons.
Thailand carried out airstrikes using F-16 fighter jets, while Cambodia responded by firing thousands of BM-21 rockets from truck-mounted launchers. Each launcher can fire up to 40 rockets at a time, causing widespread destruction.
Officials say more than three dozen people have been killed on both sides of the border in just over a week of fighting. The humanitarian impact has been severe, with over 500,000 people displaced, mostly civilians forced to flee their homes for safety.
The fighting has drawn strong reactions from the international community. The United States Department of State released a statement calling on both countries to immediately end hostilities. It urged Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw heavy weapons, stop laying landmines, and fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.
The US also stressed the importance of humanitarian demining and peaceful resolution of border issues. Malaysia, which helped broker the earlier ceasefire, continues to play a key role in encouraging dialogue.
One of the most sensitive issues in the conflict has been the use of landmines. Thailand has accused Cambodia of laying new landmines along the border, claiming that several Thai soldiers were injured during patrols.
Cambodia has denied the allegations, saying the landmines were leftovers from its civil war, which ended in 1999. However, Thai officials insist that the mines are newly planted.
“These were clearly newly planted landmines,” Sihasak said, adding that an ASEAN observer team confirmed the findings. He called this a “clear violation” of the October ceasefire agreement.
On Sunday, the Thai navy said one of its marines suffered serious injuries to his right leg after stepping on a landmine near the frontline. The navy also claimed to have found abandoned weapons and explosives in areas it described as former Cambodian positions.
Thai authorities said the discoveries showed deliberate planning and intentional use of anti-personnel landmines against Thai troops. Following these incidents, Thailand’s foreign ministry announced it would send formal protest letters to Cambodia and Zambia, which currently chairs the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Convention.
Thailand plans to seek action through international mechanisms under the convention. Cambodia has not yet officially responded to the latest Thai claims.
Under the October truce, Thailand was expected to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held as prisoners, while both sides agreed to remove heavy weapons and landmines from the border. However, progress stalled as both countries continued a propaganda war and minor cross-border incidents persisted.
With tensions still high, observers say the upcoming talks are crucial. Whether Thailand and Cambodia can move beyond public statements and agree on practical steps will determine if peace can finally return to the troubled border region.
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