A purported diplomatic breakthrough announced by the United States has been publicly refuted by the nations at the center of the conflict, as military engagements between Thailand and Cambodia continued unabated over the weekend. Despite an assertion from US President Donald Trump that a cessation of hostilities had been agreed upon, both Southeast Asian governments reported ongoing aerial bombardments and artillery exchanges along their contentious frontier, casting serious doubt on Washington’s characterization of events and deepening a regional crisis.
The latest round of violence, which erupted on December 8th, represents a severe deterioration of a peace accord negotiated just two months prior in Kuala Lumpur. That agreement, facilitated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, had offered a fragile hope for stability. Its collapse has precipitated a significant escalation in both the scale of military operations and the resulting humanitarian toll. Authorities report that the conflict has already resulted in at least twenty fatalities and close to two hundred injuries, while triggering a massive exodus of an estimated six to seven hundred thousand civilians from border communities on both sides.
The situation took a perplexing diplomatic turn on the evening of Friday, December 12th. President Trump declared that the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia had consented to a ceasefire effective immediately, urging a return to the previous peace framework. However, this announcement was swiftly and directly contradicted by officials in Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul asserted a firm stance, stating, "Thailand will continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people." Concurrently, Cambodian authorities documented continued assaults into Saturday morning, including specific incidents in the Thmor Da and Koh Kong regions.
Military tactics have escalated markedly. The Thai armed forces have deployed F-16 fighter jets, conducting aerial strikes, alongside naval artillery shelling. Cambodian sources detailed attacks involving multiple bombs dropped from these aircraft and dozens of shells fired from a Thai vessel, incidents which have also damaged civilian infrastructure such as hotels and casinos. The Cambodian government, while expressing a preference for a peaceful resolution, has called for independent verification to ascertain which party initiated the latest hostilities, accusing Thailand of aggression and the use of landmines.
The public contradiction of a major power’s diplomatic statement underscores the complexity and volatility of the dispute. It also hints at potential strains in bilateral relations, underscored by Bangkok’s pointed warning to Washington against linking the conflict to trade discussions—a veiled reference to past uses of economic leverage. The immediate outlook remains grim, with military objectives seemingly taking precedence over diplomacy. The substantial civilian displacement and infrastructure damage present a looming humanitarian challenge, suggesting that even if a genuine ceasefire were to be brokered, the path to lasting resolution for this protracted border dispute remains fraught and uncertain.