Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Ceasefire Talks, But Deep Distrust Lingers

Defense officials from Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold ceasefire talks on December 24, following an emergency meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. The move comes after more than two weeks of border clashes that began on December 15 and have killed at least 41 soldiers and several civilians, while displacing upwards of 750,000 people. However, the ASEAN-led meeting itself stopped short of brokering an immediate end to the hostilities.

ASEAN Urges Restraint as Clashes Continue

In a chair’s statement, the ASEAN foreign ministers said they “welcomed the discussions on resumption of the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.” While an immediate truce wasn't achieved, the statement announced that the General Border Committee (GBC), an existing bilateral mechanism, will convene on Christmas Eve “to discuss the implementation and verification of the ceasefire.” The ministers urged both Thailand and Cambodia to “exercise maximum restraint” and restore dialogue.

According to Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, the GBC meeting will take place in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, and both sides will take “as much time as needed” to reach an agreement. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan echoed the sentiment, stating, “As ASEAN, our collective future is brighter only if we stand united.”

Conflicting Narratives and 'Peace on Paper'

While the GBC meeting is a step forward, the chances of a breakthrough are slim. The two sides remain far apart, particularly over alleged landmine incidents. Thailand is resistant to returning to previous peace pacts, accusing Cambodia of violating them by planting new landmines that have killed and maimed its troops. In a statement, Bangkok said that “repeated breaches of the Joint Declaration – including landmine incidents... cannot be ignored.” The Thai foreign ministry concluded that it “hopes to see Cambodia’s sincerity reflected in concrete actions in pursuit of genuine and lasting peace, not merely peace on paper,” effectively placing the onus on Phnom Penh.

Cambodia has denied planting new mines, suggesting the explosions are from munitions left over from its civil war. Cambodian officials also accused Thailand of continuing attacks during the meeting, including F-16 strikes. Underscoring the skepticism, a commentary in the pro-government outlet Fresh News stated that “ASEAN’s diplomatic appeals were drowned out by the thunder of F-16 fighter jets dropping bombs on Cambodian territory.”