Thailand has accused Cambodia of breaking a ceasefire agreement by launching an overnight attack along their shared border. The two countries had agreed to stop fighting on Tuesday after five days of clashes that left at least 43 dead on both sides. The violence erupted from a long-running dispute over contested border areas spanning 800 kilometers.
Thailand’s foreign ministry reported that Cambodian forces attacked Thai troops in Sisaket province with gunfire and grenades, with the fighting continuing into Wednesday morning. The ministry called this “a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsab confirmed the overnight clashes but stated that Thai forces maintained control and that the border situation had returned to normal by Wednesday morning. Cambodia has denied violating the truce, which was meant to end fighting that forced over 300,000 people to flee the border area.
The ceasefire got off to a rocky start early Tuesday, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of continuing attacks in what it called “an attempt to undermine trust.” However, tensions later eased, and military commanders from both sides met as planned to discuss de-escalation measures, including halting troop movements that could cause misunderstandings.
Despite this, a Thai foreign affairs spokesperson warned that the ceasefire remained fragile in its early stages.
The clashes have killed at least 15 Thai soldiers and 15 civilians, while Cambodia has reported eight civilian and five military deaths. The ceasefire agreement was finalized in Malaysia after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened—both countries are seeking a trade deal with the U.S. to avoid potential high tariffs.
