Thailand and Cambodia Sign New Ceasefire Agreement to End Border Fighting

After weeks of intense clashes along their shared frontier, Thailand and Cambodia have signed a new ceasefire agreement aimed at halting days of deadly border fighting that has taken a heavy toll on soldiers and civilians alike. The agreement, signed on December 27, 2025, took effect at noon local time, ushering in a pause in hostilities that regional leaders hope will ease tensions and protect vulnerable border communities.

The renewed truce comes after repeated eruptions of violence between the neighbouring Southeast Asian countries — which share an often poorly demarcated boundary — and follows the breakdown of previous agreements. As part of the latest deal, both sides have agreed to stop all military movements and avoid violations of each other’s airspace, bringing an immediate de-escalation to a conflict that had dragged on for weeks.

A Conflict That Spiralled

The recent fighting began in early December and rapidly intensified, drawing in heavy weaponry, artillery exchanges, airstrikes, and allegations of incursions from both sides. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were forced from their homes, schools and markets turned into shelters, and dozens of lives lost in clashes that spread across several border provinces.

Only Thailand reportedly conducted airstrikes during the escalations, striking targets inside Cambodian territory even as talks for peace were underway. Both capitals blamed the other for initiating the violence, each insisting it acted in self-defence.

Main Provisions of the Ceasefire

The ceasefire includes several critical commitments:

Immediate halt to all armed hostilities — both countries pledged to stop troop deployments, offensive operations, and airspace violations.

Freezing military positions — existing troop deployments along the border are to remain in place, with no reinforcements allowed.

Return of prisoners — Thailand will repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers it has held since earlier fighting once the ceasefire has been maintained for 72 hours.

Humanitarian cooperation — both sides agreed to allow civilians to return to their homes as safety permits, and to work together on mine clearance, combatting transnational crime, and resuming joint efforts to demarcate the border.

Propaganda restrictions — part of the deal calls on both nations to refrain from spreading misinformation or inflammatory reporting that could reignite tensions.

Defense ministers from both nations — Cambodia’s Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Nattaphon Narkphanit — signed the agreement after several days of lower-level talks facilitated under the existing General Border Committee.

A Fragile Peace

Though the ceasefire represents a hopeful moment for de-escalation, its success depends heavily on compliance in the immediate days ahead. The early phase — often referred to as the observation period — will test whether either side reverts to military action or honors their commitments to the truce.

Regional leaders and international observers have welcomed the agreement, but there remains caution. Previous ceasefires, including one brokered with influence from Malaysia and backed by diplomatic pressure from the United States, failed to hold for long. Those deals, forged in mid-2025, were broken as border violence flared again when underlying territorial disputes were left unaddressed.

At its core, the conflict reflects long-standing tensions over colonial-era border demarcations and competing claims to historic sites, with both nations asserting sovereignty over stretches of land that have been contested for generations.

Human Cost and Hope for Stability

The human cost of the conflict has been significant. Estimates suggest that dozens of lives were lost and hundreds of thousands displaced on both sides of the border before the ceasefire came into effect. Markets, homes, and farmland were abandoned as families fled the crossfire, and residents have been waiting for confirmation that the peace will endure before returning to normal life.

Officials from both governments have expressed cautious optimism, emphasizing that the ceasefire is not an end to the underlying dispute — but rather a chance to build confidence and resume diplomatic dialogue. Experts argue that lasting peace will require sincere negotiations and a renewed commitment to resolving the highly sensitive border issues through international and regional mechanisms.

For now, the focus remains on maintaining calm, safeguarding civilians, and ensuring that the fragile truce becomes a stepping stone toward sustainable peace rather than a temporary pause in a cycle of violence.