Thailand and Cambodia said that they were open to ceasefire talks, following a late-night intervention by US President Donald Trump.
Hun Manet said on Sunday (Jul 27) that his foreign minister would talk to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to coordinate with the Thais, but warned Bangkok against reneging on any agreement.
Meanwhile, Thailand said late Saturday it agrees in principle to entering a ceasefire with Cambodia and beginning a “bilateral dialogue” aimed at ending the nations’ deadliest fighting in more than a decade.
The Southeast Asian neighbours exchanged artillery fire for a fourth straight day on Sunday, AFP journalists and the Cambodian defence ministry said, despite talk of a possible ceasefire.
AFP journalists in the Cambodian town of Samraong, around 20km from the border conflict zone, heard the regular thump of artillery from dawn, tallying with a ministry spokeswoman’s statement that clashes began near two disputed temples around 4.50am.
This border conflict has killed at least 33 people and displaced more than 150,000 from their homes spread across the frontier.
“Thailand agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place,” the Thai foreign ministry said in a statement on X.
That followed a post by Trump on Truth Social, who said he had spoken with Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and that the two sides have agreed to meet and “quickly work out” a ceasefire.
Thailand’s foreign ministry confirmed a phone call between Trump and Phumtham, and stressed that regarding a possible ceasefire and that “Thailand would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side”.
It said Phumtham requested Trump to “convey to the Cambodian side that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict”.
Malaysia, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on Saturday reiterated its call to both sides to exercise maximum restraint and undertake an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”.
“We further urge both sides to return to the negotiating table to restore peace and stability based on the spirit of ASEAN family, unity and good neighbourliness,” said the country’s foreign affairs minister Mohamad Hasan.
