Are ties between Thailand and Cambodia beyond repair?

The cease-fire that temporarily ended border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in late July now appears to be unravelling following a series of fresh incidents in recent weeks.

Land mines were a central factor in the July fighting. Thailand has repeatedly accused Cambodia of planting new mines in disputed areas, while Cambodia denies these claims, insisting the explosives are remnants from previous conflicts.

The situation escalated on November 10, when four Thai soldiers were wounded by a land mine in the border region, marking the first incident to reignite tensions, according to an analysis by Foreign Policy.

The Malaysian foreign minister, who heads an ASEAN observer team monitoring the ceasefire, confirmed that the land mine was new, though it was unclear which side had laid it.

Still, this was sufficient for Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to suspend the peace deal reached at the ASEAN summit.

In mid-November, an exchange of fire along the border left at least one Cambodian villager dead. Both sides blamed the other for initiating the attack, with Cambodia accusing Thailand of deliberately targeting civilians. Thailand strongly denies these allegations.

Anutin reportedly took an uncompromising stance, adding that he was not concerned about potential US tariffs resulting from his decision to tear up the peace agreement.

No further clashes have been reported since the November border shooting. US President Donald Trump told reporters he was optimistic that the situation would stabilize after speaking with both leaders.

Washington appears to be leveraging trade and tariffs to encourage a return to peace. The Thai foreign ministry confirmed that the US had suspended talks on a reciprocal tariff agreement pending Thailand’s reinstatement of the ceasefire.

The article notes that Anutin seems to be attempting to separate the two issues. He told Thai media that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had relayed Trump’s promise not to link tariffs with the peace process.

Critics accuse Anutin of taking a hard line on Cambodia for political gain. His right-wing populist party leads a minority government reliant on a confidence-and-supply deal with Thailand’s largest progressive party, to which he promised constitutional reforms and a new election in four months. Foreign Policy suggests some see the prime minister as deliberately fueling nationalist sentiment to boost his image and electoral prospects.

The piece also highlights that nationalism is being leveraged by Cambodia’s Hun dynasty, which formally passed leadership from Hun Sen to his son Hun Manet in 2023. If Cambodia has planted new mines, it would indicate recklessness. While Cambodia fared worse in July, it now appears more committed to the peace deal and praised Trump for his mediation efforts.

By Nazrin Sadigova