Trump declares ceasefire in Thailand and Cambodia

Donald Trump has brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia after fighting flared up on their disputed border, killing at least 20 people this week.

The latest clashes between the south-east Asian neighbours, which stem from a long-running dispute over the demarcation of their 500-mile frontier, have displaced around half a million people on both sides.

The US president previously declared a ceasefire deal in July, which only delivered a fragile peace, and each side has blamed the other for reigniting the conflict.

“I had a very good conversation this morning with the prime minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, and the prime minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, concerning the very unfortunate reawakening of their long-running war,” the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Friday.

“They have agreed to cease all shooting, effective this evening, and go back to the original peace accord made with me, and them, with the help of the great prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” he added, referring to the deal made in July.

“Both countries are ready for peace and continued trade with the United States of America.”

Mr Trump’s announcement differed from comments earlier on Friday by Mr Charnvirakul, who still blamed Cambodia for the hostilities.

“I explained to President Trump that we are not the aggressor against Cambodia, but we are retaliating,” ‍he told reporters.

“He wants a ceasefire. I told him to tell our friends – don’t just say a ceasefire but they must tell the world that Cambodia will cease fire, withdraw its troops, remove all landmines it has planted. They must show us first.”

The US, China and Malaysia, as chair of the regional bloc Asean, brokered a ceasefire in July after an initial five-day spate of violence.

In October, Mr Trump backed a follow-on joint declaration between Thailand and Cambodia, touting new trade deals after they agreed to prolong their truce.

But Thailand suspended the agreement the following month after Thai soldiers were wounded by landmines at the border.

In the north-eastern province of Buriram, Jirasan Kongchan, a Thai evacuee, said peace should come through direct bilateral talks, not foreign mediation.

“I want Thailand and Cambodia to talk among themselves first, clearly and decisively,” said the 50-year-old farmer. “If Cambodia breaks the peace again, Asean countries should step in, maybe impose some kind of sanctions.”

Cambodian evacuee Choeun Samnang, 54, said he was “very happy” to hear that Mr Trump had called the Thai prime minister asking for the countries to abide by the joint declaration.

“I don’t want to see countries at war. I want both Cambodia and Thailand to have peace,” he told AFP at a shelter in Banteay Meanchey province.

At the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump again boasted about having resolved multiple conflicts, but said that with “Thailand and Cambodia, I think I’m going to have to make a couple of phone calls...but we’ll get that one back on track”.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]