Hours after Trump 'brokers' peace, Cambodia, Thailand resume fighting

The situation in Southeast Asia became tense once again early on July 27, when Cambodian forces fired on their Thai counterparts in Thailand’s Surin province bordering Cambodia.

The latest flare-up occurred despite both neighbours reportedly agreed to a ceasefire. It also comes just hours after US President Donald Trump claimed to have brokered peace between the two Asian nations by speaking with the leaders of the two nations.

Thai media accuses Cambodia

Thai media outlet Khaosod reported on Sunday that the Cambodian troops targeted the Thai soldiers near Ta Kwai temple in Surin province earlier in the day. The latest attacks would make the ceasefire uncertain as Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechhayachi had said Bangkok would keep a watch on the sincerity of Phnom Penh about the ceasefire despite agreeing to it.

Also read: Trump calls on Thailand, Cambodia to 'end the war', hold ceasefire talks

On Saturday, July 26, the Thai foreign ministry said it had agreed to a ceasefire with Cambodia “in principle” and expressed interest in bilateral talks. The renewed conflict might shatter the prospects and make the conflict a prolonged one.

The Thai-Cambodian border dispute is more than a century old, when their boundaries were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

Chhea Keo, Cambodia’s ambassador to the United Nations, said earlier this week that Phnom Penh sought truce “unconditionally”, adding that it wanted the dispute to see a “peaceful solution”, AFP reported, quoting the diplomat.

The conflict, which began on July 24, has already taken a heavy toll on both sides of the border. More than 30 people have died and most of them were civilians.

Also read: Cambodia seeks 'immediate' ceasefire with Thailand amid deadly clashes

Tens of thousands of people have also been displaced due to the conflict as both Cambodian and Thai governments have evacuated several from the disturbed border areas.

Trump’s role

On Saturday, Trump said he had talks with the leaders of both Cambodia and Thailand. During a private visit to his Scottish golf courses, he wrote on Truth Social that both nations “have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!”.

Also read: Thailand-Cambodia War: Why tensions escalated

The Republican, who has claimed to have brokered peace between a number of conflicting nations including India and Pakistan, remarked that he looked forward to resuming trade talks with both Bangkok and Phnom Penh though it was not proper to hold the discussions until the hostilities halted.

Trump’s intervention has come a week before American tariffs on both the Southeast Asian nations are due to be implemented.

(With inputs from agencies)