BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand has secured broad international backing for a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, following high-level negotiations in Malaysia. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who led the Thai delegation, returned to Bangkok Monday evening (July 28) and briefed Thai media on the outcome of the talks and next steps toward de-escalation.
The ceasefire, scheduled to take effect this coming midnight (July 28), comes after weeks of deadly clashes along the Thai–Cambodian border. Phumtham confirmed that the agreement was achieved with the support of both regional and global powers, including the United States and China. He disclosed that U.S. President Donald Trump personally contacted Thai officials to express support and praised Thailand’s conduct during the crisis.
As part of the ceasefire arrangement, military commanders from Thailand’s First and Second Army Regions will coordinate directly with their Cambodian counterparts from the Fourth and Fifth Military Regions. These contacts will oversee enforcement of the truce along the 800-kilometer border. A frontline military meeting is set for the morning of July 29, with additional oversight expected from ASEAN defense attachés.
While the ceasefire agreement is in place, Phumtham acknowledged that hostilities have continued in some areas and that casualties could still occur before the ceasefire fully takes hold. However, he described the agreement as an essential step toward restoring calm and reestablishing trust. Further meetings, including a General Border Committee session scheduled for August 4, are expected to support longer-term stability.
Phumtham stated that the talks helped solidify Thailand’s standing among its regional and global partners and said both Malaysia and ASEAN remain engaged in monitoring compliance. The development also opened the door for deeper bilateral cooperation with the United States, including trade discussions expected to benefit Thailand’s economy in the months ahead.
Support from China, which maintained regular contact throughout the negotiations, further underscored the international consensus on ending the conflict. With momentum now shifting toward diplomacy, Thai officials expressed cautious optimism that the ceasefire will hold and allow affected communities on both sides of the border to begin recovery. (NNT)
