Phnom Penh/Bangkok – Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an ‘immediate’ ceasefire, a joint statement by both countries’ defence ministers announced on Saturday.
“Both sides agree to an immediate ceasefire after the time of signature of this Joint Statement with effect from 12:00 hours noon (local time, 0500 GMT) on 27 December 2025, involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas,” said the statement from the countries’ Special General Border Committee, issued by the Cambodian side.
The announcement comes amid peace talks held between the two neighbours after border tensions reignited earlier in December, claiming dozens of lives.
What do we know about the ceasefire?
The ceasefire agreement was signed by Thai Defence Minister Natthaphon Nakrphanit and his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha.
“Both sides agree to maintain current troop deployments without further movement,” both defence ministers said in the joint statement. “Any reinforcement would heighten tensions and negatively affect long-term efforts to resolve the situation.”
The ceasefire ends 20 days of fighting that has killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides.
As part of the ceasefire, both sides agreed that residents from the border areas affected by the fighting will now be able to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian foreign ministry has announced a meeting between the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Thailand and China to discuss the developments in the border issue.
The two-day trilateral talks is slated take place from Sunday in China’s Yunnan Province.
The border dispute
Clashes have erupted at several points along the 817km (508 mile) border, with the conflict escalating into heavy fighting in July which left dozens killed.
A ceasefire was then brokered with mediation from the United States, China and Malaysia.
But on December 7, tensions flared once more with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire, allegations each government denies.
Officials from both countries say dozens have been killed since fighting escalated again earlier in December, including civilians, while hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
The conflict stems from a decades-old territorial dispute linked to colonial-era border demarcations and the location of ancient temple ruins along the frontier.
DW
