Trump Says Thai, Cambodian Leaders Agreed To Fresh Ceasefire
The two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to a US-brokered truce in October, which was derailed this week with clashes erupting along the border.
President Donald Trump said Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to stop fighting, after speaking with the leaders of the two countries to urge them to end the “very unfortunate reawakening of their long-running War.”
The two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to a US-brokered truce in October, which was derailed this week with clashes erupting along the border.
“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,” Trump posted on social media Friday. “Both Countries are ready for PEACE and continued Trade with the United States of America.”
Trump called Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet as fighting approaches the one-week mark, saying in his post that it was his “honor” to resolve what “could have evolved into a major War” between the two countries.
“I think we just did a very good job with Thailand and Cambodia, we had them stopped,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that the conflict was “in good shape.”
Tensions flared between the two nations on Sunday when fighting erupted along their 800-kilometer (500-mile) shared border. Each side has accused the other of escalating the conflict, which has left nearly two dozen dead and displaced more than half a million people.
In comments to reporters earlier on Friday, Anutin said that he told Trump in a phone call that Thailand had adhered to the so-called Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords and that Cambodia breached it in ways that cost lives, prompting Thailand’s retaliation.
“I had to explain to Trump that we weren’t the aggressor, and we only retaliated to make them understand they should not mess with us,” Anutin told reporters. “He said he understood and that our foreign minister can call Secretary of State Rubio anytime, and that I can call him anytime as well.”
Thai authorities said Friday that 10 soldiers have been killed and dozens of others injured in the latest flare-up. Cambodian officials said 10 civilians have died during the fighting, including an infant, and at least 60 others have been wounded. They did not disclose any military casualties.
“The roadside bomb that originally killed and wounded numerous Thai Soldiers was an accident, but Thailand nevertheless retaliated very strongly,” Trump said, referring to one of the recent violent incidents.
Each side has blamed the other for escalating hostilities since the October pact.
On trade, Anutin said Trump brought up the issue and asked how negotiations were going. Trump didn’t seem to use trade talks to pressure him on the border clash, Anutin said, adding that Trump even promised to give Thailand a better deal than other countries.
“He said he would chop off tariffs for us and give Thailand a better deal than other countries,” Anutin said. “He didn’t link the issue” to the conflict “or use it to put pressure on us.”
Washington lowered the tariff on Thai and Cambodian goods to 19% after the two countries agreed to the initial ceasefire.
