Thailand, Cambodia announce 72-hour border ceasefire

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a new temporary ceasefire after signing a joint statement establishing a 72-hour truce, marking the latest effort to de-escalate violence along their shared border.

The ceasefire is scheduled to take effect on December 27 at 12:00 local time. As part of the agreement, Thailand also committed to releasing 18 Cambodian servicemen currently being held in custody.

The joint statement emphasises the two sides’ commitment to peace, stability, and security for civilians living in border areas. The document was made public by Cambodian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Mali Sochita, who published the text on the social media platform X.

The update on the situation of the Thai invasion of Cambodian territory in the 4th and 5th Military Regions on December 11, 2025:#ក្រសួងការពារជាតិ #modgovkh #កម្ពុជា #cambodia #សន្តិភាពនៅកម្ពុជា #Peaceincambodia pic.twitter.com/eAI1YaF1Nj

— ក្រសួងការពារជាតិ Ministry of National Defence (@modgovkh) December 11, 2025

According to the statement, “A Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the Cambodia–Thailand Joint Border Committee (JBC) between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand was adopted and signed, reaffirming their firm commitment to full compliance with the ceasefire regime and their aspiration for peace, stability, and security for people living along the Cambodian–Thai border.”

The document was signed by the defence ministers of both countries following talks held in Kuala Lumpur. Observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended the meeting.

The ceasefire follows a series of failed attempts to stabilise the situation. In late October, the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia signed a peace agreement in the presence of the US president, but fighting along the border resumed on December 8. The most recent round of negotiations began on December 24 after the previous ceasefire collapsed in early December.

The ongoing conflict has had severe humanitarian consequences. At least 98 people have been killed, and more than half a million displaced. Both Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other of actions that led to the breakdown of the July truce, which was expanded in October in an effort to contain the violence.

Thailand and Cambodia have long-standing disputes over sections of their 817-kilometre shared border. Tensions frequently flare in forested inland areas near Laos as well as in coastal provinces, making border stability a persistent challenge for both countries.

By Tamilla Hasanova