A new ceasefire signed on December 27 has brought an uneasy pause to three weeks of fighting that killed more than 100 people and sent over half a million fleeing from their homes. Thai airstrikes, Cambodian rocket barrages and artillery duels scorched the 817‑kilometer frontier after combat reignited on December 8, shattering Trump‑brokered peace deals from July and October. The December war proved deadlier and more disruptive than July's four‑day clash, with Thai jets hitting deeper into Cambodia and both sides digging in along multiple fronts.
Trump's December 12 phone calls to both prime ministers produced only confusion—Bangkok denied agreeing to any ceasefire while fighting raged on—before intensive ASEAN and Chinese shuttle diplomacy finally secured the December 27 accord. Now ASEAN observers patrol key sectors and roughly 200,000 displaced civilians remain in shelters, afraid to return. A January 6 mortar incident already tested the truce. Whether this fragile ceasefire becomes a foundation for real peace or merely another temporary pause will define 2026 for millions living along the border.
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People Involved
Donald Trump
President of the United States (Made December phone calls to both leaders; initial ceasefire claim disputed but later diplomacy contributed to December 27 accord)
Anutin Charnvirakul
Prime Minister of Thailand (Signed December 27 ceasefire after three weeks of intense combat; disputed Trump's December 12 ceasefire claim and vowed to continue operations)
Hun Manet
Prime Minister of Cambodia (Signed December 27 ceasefire after Cambodia reported over 30 civilian deaths in December fighting)
Hun Sen
President of the Cambodian Senate and former prime minister (Influential hard‑liner urging a strong military response to Thai strikes)
Suos Yara
Senior adviser to the Cambodian prime minister (Public face of Cambodia’s call for immediate bilateral talks)
Organizations Involved
RO
Royal Thai Armed Forces
Military
Status: Conducting airstrikes, artillery barrages and evacuations along the Cambodian border
Thailand’s military is waging a high‑intensity border campaign while managing mass civilian evacuations.
RO
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
Military
Status: Responding with artillery, rockets and drones while absorbing Thai air and artillery strikes
Cambodia’s military is fighting a stronger neighbour while highlighting civilian harm to win diplomatic backing.
AS
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Regional Intergovernmental Organization
Status: Deployed observer teams after brokering December 27 ceasefire; held emergency foreign ministers meeting December 22
ASEAN is trying to turn its ceasefire diplomacy into something more durable than a brief pause in shelling.
Timeline
Mortar incident tests 10-day-old ceasefire
Incident
Thai forces report Cambodian mortar fire into Ubon Ratchathani province, violating the December 27 truce. Cambodia contacts Thailand claiming the strike was accidental, caused by an operational error.
Thailand and Cambodia sign formal ceasefire, ending 20 days of war
Diplomacy
After ASEAN and Chinese mediation, both countries sign a ceasefire agreement calling for immediate halt to military operations, mine clearance and deployment of ASEAN observer teams. The 20-day December conflict killed over 100 and displaced more than half a million.
General Border Committee convenes ceasefire talks
Diplomacy
Thai and Cambodian officials hold General Border Committee meeting in Thailand's Chanthaburi province to discuss ceasefire implementation and verification mechanisms.
ASEAN holds emergency foreign ministers meeting
Diplomacy
Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting convenes in Kuala Lumpur with Thai and Cambodian representatives attending, marking first face-to-face talks since December 8. Malaysia's foreign minister declares ASEAN must take necessary steps to maintain regional peace.
China launches shuttle diplomacy between Bangkok and Phnom Penh
Diplomacy
China's Special Envoy for Asian Affairs begins five-day shuttle diplomacy mission, meeting separately with Prime Ministers Anutin and Hun Manet to mediate the border conflict.
Cambodia's defense ministry reports Thai airstrikes and artillery fire ongoing more than 24 hours after Trump announced both countries agreed to cease fire. Bangkok confirms operations continue.
Trump phones both leaders, claims ceasefire agreed—Bangkok disputes
Diplomacy
Trump announces separate phone calls with Anutin and Hun Manet, posting on social media that both agreed to cease fire and return to October's Kuala Lumpur Accord. Thailand's foreign ministry and PM immediately dispute this, with Anutin stating no ceasefire was discussed and operations would continue.
Border war enters third day, Trump vows new push
Conflict
As shelling and drone strikes continue, with mounting casualties and displacement, Trump says he will call both leaders to revive his earlier ceasefire and "stop" the renewed war.
Cambodia pulls team from Thailand SEA Games
Consequence
Phnom Penh withdraws its athletes from the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, citing security risks and deepening the conflict’s regional fallout.
Artillery war spreads, mass evacuations ordered
Conflict
Fighting enters a second day and expands to new fronts along the 817‑kilometer border, with both sides reporting fresh deaths and tens of thousands of civilians sent to shelters.
Cambodia says it is "ready at any time" for talks
Statement
Adviser Suos Yara announces Phnom Penh’s willingness to hold immediate bilateral talks, even as Cambodia accuses Thailand of indiscriminate shelling and vows not to beg for negotiations.
Thailand launches new airstrikes, conflict reignites
Conflict
Thai jets strike Cambodian military infrastructure near contested passes, answering what Bangkok calls "supporting fire" from Cambodian units and effectively ending the fragile peace.
Trump claims he "stopped a war" with phone calls
Statement
Trump tells reporters he preserved the ceasefire after separate calls with both prime ministers, touting tariffs as the key to his influence even as tensions simmer.
Thailand suspends peace deal after landmine blast
Decision
Bangkok freezes implementation of the Kuala Lumpur Accord, citing a landmine incident that badly injured a Thai soldier and accusing Cambodia of violating de‑escalation promises.
Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord promises deeper de‑escalation
Diplomacy
At an ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Thai and Cambodian leaders sign a U.S.‑backed accord to withdraw heavy weapons, clear mines and deploy regional monitors, with Trump as witness.
Trump‑assisted ceasefire halts first round of fighting
Diplomacy
Under Malaysian and ASEAN mediation, and after Trump threatens higher tariffs, Thailand and Cambodia agree to an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire.
Four‑day border war erupts
Conflict
Artillery, rockets and airstrikes pound positions near disputed temples, killing dozens and forcing nearly 300,000 people from their homes on both sides.
Border crisis begins with skirmishes and troop buildups
Tension
Localized incidents and military movements along the Thai–Cambodian frontier spark a months‑long border crisis, reviving disputes over maps and temple sites.
Scenarios
1
Trump and ASEAN Revive Kuala Lumpur Accord, Border Falls Quiet Again
Discussed by: Reuters, Al Jazeera, regional security analysts and U.S. officials quoted in major outlets
In this scenario, Trump’s promised calls to Anutin and Hun Manet, combined with heavy behind‑the‑scenes work by Malaysia and other ASEAN states, quickly produce a new ceasefire that restores at least parts of the Kuala Lumpur Accord. Triggers would include rising civilian casualties, economic disruption in Thai border provinces and pressure from Washington, Beijing and key ASEAN capitals to avoid a protracted war. Fighting would taper off within days, leaving monitors and joint committees to renegotiate demilitarised zones and mine clearance schedules.
2
Border War Freezes Into Long, Low‑Level Conflict With Periodic Flare‑Ups
Discussed by: Think‑tank commentary and comparisons to past Thailand–Cambodia and India–Pakistan border standoffs
Here, neither side wants to concede ground after intense December fighting, and Trump’s leverage proves weaker than advertised. Heavy combat subsides after a few weeks, but both militaries keep artillery and special forces dug in across disputed hills, trading sporadic fire and propaganda while civilians remain displaced. ASEAN monitoring is limited and mostly symbolic. The conflict becomes a simmering, years‑long standoff that periodically explodes around nationalist anniversaries or local incidents, complicating investment and deepening mistrust between the two neighbours.
3
Civilian Toll Soars, Forcing Robust ASEAN or UN Monitoring Mission
Discussed by: Humanitarian NGOs, UN officials and some regional commentators
If artillery and airstrikes continue to hit populated areas, driving displacement into the hundreds of thousands and producing graphic civilian casualties, diplomatic dynamics could change sharply. Domestic anger might push Bangkok or Phnom Penh to quietly welcome a strong third‑party buffer to defuse blame. ASEAN could expand its observer role into a more visible mission, or the UN Security Council could authorise a monitoring presence. Such an outcome would require sustained escalation and international outrage, plus rare consensus among big powers, so it remains a tail‑risk rather than the base case.
Historical Context
2008–2011 Preah Vihear Clashes
2008–2011
What Happened
Thai and Cambodian forces fought intermittent battles around the Preah Vihear temple after UNESCO listed it as a Cambodian World Heritage site. Artillery duels killed scores, displaced thousands and periodically threatened to widen before ASEAN mediation and an International Court of Justice ruling clarified parts of the frontier.
Outcome
Short Term
Fighting eased after ASEAN involvement and provisional troop withdrawals around the temple area.
Long Term
Legal and diplomatic processes, not battlefield gains, ultimately shaped the border—an outcome now echoed in calls for renewed talks.
Why It's Relevant Today
Shows how temple‑centered border clashes between these same countries have de‑escalated through regional diplomacy and courts rather than decisive military victories.
1999 Kargil Conflict Between India and Pakistan
May–July 1999
What Happened
Pakistani forces and militants infiltrated high‑altitude positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in Kashmir, sparking weeks of intense mountain warfare and airstrikes. The United States and others leaned hard on Pakistan diplomatically, while India limited operations to contested territory to avoid full‑scale war.
Outcome
Short Term
Pakistan withdrew under pressure, and large‑scale fighting stopped without redrawing the international border.
Long Term
The episode entrenched mutual distrust but also became a textbook case of outside powers helping cap a limited border war.
Why It's Relevant Today
Illustrates how external pressure—similar to Trump’s tariff threats—can end a localized but dangerous border conflict without solving the underlying dispute.
Eritrea–Ethiopia Border War
1998–2000
What Happened
A dispute over the town of Badme escalated into full‑scale war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, killing tens of thousands. After intense fighting and stalemate, the neighbors accepted an internationally brokered ceasefire and boundary commission, yet lived with a tense "no war, no peace" standoff for years.
Outcome
Short Term
A ceasefire froze front lines and created a demilitarised security zone, ending open warfare.
Long Term
The legal border decision remained contested, showing that arbitration without political reconciliation can lock in a brittle, militarised peace.
Why It's Relevant Today
Offers a cautionary tale of how today’s Thai–Cambodian accords could halt shooting yet leave a heavily armed, unstable frontier if politics don’t move too.
