On July 26, 2025, a Cambodian soldier is seen standing atop a vehicle that is transporting a Russian-made BM-21 rocket launcher down a roadway in the province of Oddar Meanchey.(Sothy, Tang Chhin/AFP/Getty Images)
Bangkok, Thailand / Phnom Penh, Cambodia —
Hours after US President Donald Trump said that the two Southeast Asian countries had agreed to ceasefire talks and warned that any conflict would damage their trade agreements with Washington, Cambodia and Thailand engaged in a fourth day of gunfire across their disputed border on Sunday.
Thai and Cambodian officials report that since Thursday, confrontations have continued despite demands from the United States, China, and the United Nations for the fighting to halt, killing at least 32 people and displacing over 200,000 others.
Both sides have exchanged blame for the continuous violence and accused the other of igniting the most recent border flare-up.
According to Malaysia's state news agency, which cited the foreign minister, their leaders will meet in Malaysia on Monday afternoon to talk about the intensifying situation.
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, which "is designed to listen to all recommendations that could contribute to restoring peace," according to confirmation from the Thai government. Malaysia's news agency reports that Hun Manet, the prime minister of Cambodia, will also be present.
The Thai government is still dedicated to protecting the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "Every square inch of it," stated Jirayu Houngsub, a spokeswoman for the Thai government, who also stated that the nation will not bargain over the maps used in peace talks.
Following Trump's decision earlier Sunday, Thailand's government accused Cambodia of continuing to fire heavy artillery into civilian areas in its Surin province, along the border, and in a number of other locations, saying it was "not ready" to halt military operations.
While Cambodia is "repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law," Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement that "any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached."
Trump claimed to have told the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia that if the deadly border conflict persisted, he would not negotiate trade agreements with either nation.
Although his nation does not want a third party to mediate, Phumtham stated on Sunday that he was "thankful" for Trump's "concern."
At a press conference, Phumtham stated that "soldiers will continue to do their job at full steam" until there is no threat to civilians. "We have proposed a bilateral between our foreign ministers, to conclude what conditions (would be) for ceasefire and drawing back troops and long range firing weapons," he added.
Early on Sunday morning local time, Thailand used drones, tank fire, cluster, and aerial bombs to target many targets in Cambodia, a spokesman for the country's military ministry told reporters.
According to Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, some of the missiles fell close to the historic Preah Vihear temple, which is located in the same-named northern region of Cambodia and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Conflicts between the two countries have previously centered on the temple complex.
Thailand's "deliberate and calculated actions of hostility" were denounced by Cambodia.
Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata stated that those actions "had occurred despite continued efforts spearheaded by President Donald Trump to seek a ceasefire, efforts the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hun Manet, has officially and clearly endorsed."
Maly Socheata declared, "Our forces are not scared to defend the land and are still firing back actively."
According to the state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), residential homes in the Thai border province of Surin, west of Preah Vihear, were damaged by artillery fired by Cambodian soldiers. According to the report, Thai forces were reacting.
Thailand reported on Sunday that 19 people, primarily civilians, have died since the start of the fighting. The Ministry of Public Health reports that approximately 138,000 people from six provinces have been relocated and are currently residing in government shelters.
Cambodia said on Saturday that 13 individuals, including eight civilians, had been killed and 50 injured in the Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Surin, Thailand. The defense ministry of Cambodia claims that the conflict has forced at least 80,000 people to flee their homes.
On July 26, 2025, an aerial photograph depicts residents of Oddar Meanchey province seeking refuge near a pagoda after fleeing their homes close to the Cambodia-Thailand border. ( Suy Se/AFP/Getty Images)
The telecom billionaire and the dictator
In the past, Thailand and Cambodia have maintained tight ties, in part because of the friendship between two former leaders: former prime minister and telecom millionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodian strongman Hun Sen.
Despite not being in government, both men continue to have a significant impact on their respective nations.
Since a conflict in May that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier, tensions at the border have been rising recently. After a phone conversation between Thaksin's daughter, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Hun Sen of Cambodia was released, relations further deteriorated.
During the call, Paetongtarn was heard referring to Hun Sen as her "uncle" and seemed to be criticizing the activities of her own soldiers in the border issue.
Thailand was offended by Paetongtarn's remarks, and her detractors charged that she was jeopardizing the nation's interests. She justified her behavior, but the Constitutional Court later suspended her awaiting an ethics probe, and she may be fired.
During his Saturday visit to the Cambodian military personnel positioned in Oddar Meanchey province along the Thai border, Senate President Hun Sen of Cambodia gives a speech.(STR/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)
Since then, Hun Sen has been critical of Thaksin on Facebook, saying that he is "resorting to war, the ultimate consequence of which will be the suffering of the people."
In a post on X, Thaksin claimed that Hun Sen had given the order for Cambodian forces to open fire on Thai territory.
The diplomacy of Trump
In an attempt to bring about peace, President Trump claimed on Saturday that he has had conversations with the prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand.
"They have committed to meeting right now in order to swiftly establish a ceasefire and, eventually, peace!" In a series of postings on Truth Social, Trump described his diplomatic efforts without providing any information about the conversations.
Additionally, Trump added, "They want to return to the 'Trading Table' with the United States, which we believe is inappropriate until the violence STOPS."
Trump threatened to impose a 36% duty on the majority of Thailand's and Cambodia's exports to the United States beginning on August 1 in letters to both countries earlier this month. According to authorities at the time, both Cambodia and Thailand made significant concessions to their US counterparts in an attempt to advance in the negotiation of a trade deal.
Hun Manet expressed gratitude to Trump in the early hours of Sunday am local time, adding that Cambodia supported "the idea for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces." He also mentioned that he had earlier accepted Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's suggestion for a ceasefire.
Phumtham had also "asked President Trump to convey …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," according to a more measured statement from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which expressed its hope for "sincere intention from the Cambodian side."
Since colonial power France demarcated the line between Bangkok and Phnom Penh more than a century ago, the two cities have been engaged in conflict over disputed land. Longtime US ally Thailand, which has decades of expertise, is up against Cambodia's relatively new military, which has strong ties to China, in the resurgent deadly struggle.
In a post on X, Secretary General António Guterres called for "all sides to quickly agree to a truce and to address any disputes via discussion," echoing the UN's condemnation of the violence.
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