Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a new ceasefire to halt weeks of intense and deadly fighting along their shared land border, bringing a fragile pause to the worst clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbours in years. The ceasefire took effect at noon on 27 December 2025 after defence ministers from both countries signed a joint statement at a checkpoint on the contested frontier.
The agreement calls for an immediate halt to all armed hostilities, including artillery, tanks, drones and other weapons, and commits both sides to maintaining existing troop deployments without further movements or offensive actions. It also prohibits any violations of airspace for military purposes and emphasises cooperation on humanitarian measures such as demining and combatting transnational crime along the border.
A key provision of the deal is the planned repatriation of 18 Cambodian soldiers held by Thai forces since clashes earlier in the year, contingent on the ceasefire holding for 72 hours. Both governments also pledged to restore conditions that would allow evacuated civilians to return home safely.
The conflict stems from long-standing territorial disputes along the roughly 817-kilometre frontier, where ambiguities in colonial-era border demarcations have periodically led to skirmishes. The latest hostilities which erupted in early December after previous truce breakdowns have inflicted significant human costs, with at least 101 fatalities reported and hundreds of thousands displaced on both sides, prompting widespread concern among local communities and regional partners.
This ceasefire marks the second formal truce in 2025, following an earlier agreement mediated in July and detailed at an ASEAN meeting in October, with support from regional players and international figures. ASEAN observers and diplomatic channels are expected to help monitor implementation and encourage follow-up talks to address the underlying territorial issues.
While the agreement brings immediate hopes for de-escalation, authorities on both sides have acknowledged that deep-rooted diplomatic work and continued dialogue will be needed to prevent future flare-ups and ensure lasting peace along the contested border.
