Bangkok: In a significant development in Southeast Asia's simmering border conflict, Cambodia has issued a call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand, following a surge in hostilities along the contentious frontier. The announcement was made by Cambodia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Chhea Keo, after an emergency closed-door UN Security Council session where both nations presented their cases.
The conflict, which erupted three days ago, has led to intensified artillery exchanges and cross-border shelling near key disputed areas, notably the region surrounding the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple complex. The Cambodian envoy warned that unless the fighting stopped immediately, “the humanitarian situation would spiral out of control.”
Cambodia has voiced its support for a ceasefire proposal spearheaded by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who currently holds the chairmanship of ASEAN. According to Cambodian officials, Thailand had initially expressed agreement to the terms but later backed away, leaving the region on the brink of a broader conflict.
Thailand, however, has rejected external mediation at this point. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stressed that bilateral dialogue is the most appropriate and effective path forward, insisting that ceasefire conditions must be achieved through direct communication and mutual understanding not outside intervention.
Meanwhile, the human toll of the conflict continues to mount. Reports indicate that over 55 people have been killed since fighting began, including both military personnel and civilians. The violence has forced more than 58,000 people in Thailand and 23,000 in Cambodia to flee their homes. Shelters are overwhelmed, and aid agencies report that infrastructure homes, schools, and health facilities has been badly damaged by stray shells and airbursts.
The flare-up marks one of the most serious military confrontations between the two nations in recent memory. While both sides have engaged in skirmishes over border demarcations in the past, especially around temple sites recognized under international rulings, this escalation has revived fears of a full-blown regional crisis.
The United Nations, though yet to issue a formal statement, is closely monitoring the situation. Cambodian officials are now appealing for stronger international pressure on Thailand, accusing its military of violating Cambodian sovereignty and triggering unnecessary aggression.
Thailand maintains that it has only acted in defensive response to Cambodian incursions and claims no interest in expanding the scope of the conflict. However, it insists that no ceasefire can be durable without prior de-escalation and verification on the ground.
As both nations continue to trade blame, the international community watches anxiously. ASEAN’s role in facilitating peace is being tested, and the prospects of peace rest on whether diplomacy can triumph over battlefield rhetoric.
The coming days will prove crucial in determining whether this tense standoff can be defused—or whether a decades-old border dispute will once again engulf the region in violence.