Trump Brokers Urgent Ceasefire Talks Between Thailand and Cambodia Amid Border Clashes

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold immediate talks to end escalating border clashes that have killed over 30 people and displaced more than 130,000. The conflict, the worst in 13 years, centers on disputed territories near the Preah Vihear temple.

Trump, currently visiting Scotland, revealed via social media that he personally spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, warning both leaders that U.S. trade deals would be withheld if fighting continued. Phumtham confirmed Thailand’s willingness for a ceasefire but urged Cambodia to demonstrate “sincere intention” toward peace.

Clashes persisted Saturday in Thailand’s Trat province and Cambodia’s Pursat province, with both nations accusing each other of unprovoked attacks. Thailand reported seven soldiers and 13 civilian deaths, while Cambodia cited five soldiers and eight civilian casualties. The skirmishes follow months of tensions since a Cambodian soldier was killed in May, sparking troop buildups along the 817-kilometer border.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern and called for immediate dialogue. Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN chair Anwar Ibrahim is pushing for a regional ceasefire initiative, supported by Cambodia and tentatively by Thailand.

Trump framed the talks as critical to restoring trade relations, linking peace efforts to his broader push for new trade agreements by August 1. Analysts, however, caution that using trade as leverage may provoke backlash if expectations are unmet.

The historic dispute over border demarcation and ancient temple sites has repeatedly triggered armed clashes, most notably in 2008 following Cambodia’s UNESCO bid for Preah Vihear. The upcoming negotiations mark the most significant U.S. diplomatic intervention in the region in over a decade.