Thailand and Cambodia agree to meet amid renewed cross-border fighting

"Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold a meeting of defence officials later this week as regional leaders push for an end to deadly violence along the two countries' shared border. Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced the planned talks on Monday after a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur of Southeast Asian foreign ministers, who were trying to salvage a ceasefire."

"But just hours after the regional crisis talks were held in Malaysia, Cambodia's Ministry of Defence said the Thai military deployed fighter jets to bomb areas of Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces. The Thai army said Cambodia had fired dozens of rockets into Thailand, with Bangkok's air force responding with air strikes on two Cambodian military targets."

"Thailand and Cambodia have engaged in daily exchanges of rocket and artillery fire along their 817km (508-mile) land border following the collapse of the truce, with fighting at multiple points stretching from forested regions near Laos to the coastal provinces of the Gulf of Thailand. Despite the cross-border fire, Cambodia's Ministry of Interior said it remains optimistic that the Thai side will demonstrate sincerity in implementing a ceasefire. Thailand's Sihasak, however, cautioned that the upcoming meeting may not immediately produce a truce. Our position is a ceasefire does not come with an announcement, but must come from actions, he said."

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to hold a meeting of defence officials this week to address deadly cross-border violence along their shared 817km land border. The talks were announced following a regional meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur that sought to salvage a truce brokered earlier by ASEAN chair Malaysia and United States President Donald Trump. Despite the planned discussions, both sides reported fresh attacks, including Thai air strikes and Cambodian rocket fire. Fighting has occurred at multiple points from border forests near Laos to Gulf coastal provinces. Officials stressed that any ceasefire must be demonstrated by actions rather than announcements.

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