A volatile border clash between Thailand and Cambodia continues, even as a claimed ceasefire draws attention. Surin, Thailand — on Saturday morning, gunfire and airstrikes persisted along the Thai-C Cambodian frontier, despite President Donald Trump’s assertion that both nations had agreed to halt hostilities under his mediation.
Thai officials countered that no ceasefire had been reached, and Cambodia offered no public comment on Trump’s claim. Cambodian defense authorities instead reported Thai airstrikes against targets in the region on Saturday morning. Cambodian media briefly echoed Trump’s statement without detailing further context.
The most recent flare-up followed a December 7 skirmish that wounded two Thai soldiers and disrupted a ceasefire that had ended five days of fighting earlier in July over long‑standing border disputes.
That July ceasefire emerged with Malaysian mediation and pressure from Trump, who warned of consequences to trade privileges unless both sides agreed. It was refined at a regional meeting in Malaysia in October, an event attended by Trump.
So far this week, official tallies put roughly two dozen deaths and indicate hundreds of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Thailand’s military has reported 11 Thai casualties, with Cambodian forces suffering an estimated 165 fatalities. Cambodia has not released its own casualty figures but has confirmed at least 11 civilian deaths and 76 injuries.
Following Friday’s discussions with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Trump announced that the ceasefire would be renewed. In a post on Truth Social, he claimed that both sides had agreed to “CEASE all shooting effective this evening” and to return to the original peace accord, facilitated with the support of Malaysia’s prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin, speaking after his talks with Trump, said Bangkok’s position remained that peace would depend on Cambodia stopping its attacks first. The Thai foreign ministry, however, later disputed Trump’s ceasefire claim. Anutin had been occupied with parliamentary dissolution to enable early elections next year.
Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday, made no explicit reference to a ceasefire. He noted conversations with Trump and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim and expressed gratitude for ongoing efforts toward durable peace.
On the battlefield, Thailand reports that its airstrikes have targeted strictly military sites, while Cambodia has fired thousands of BM-21 rockets with wide blast effects that have caused extensive disruption but relatively few confirmed casualties. The rockets, capable of delivering up to 40 rounds per volley over ranges of 30–40 kilometers, are not precisely targeted and have mostly fallen in evacuated zones.
Tragically, the Thai army announced that BM-21 rockets struck a civilian area in Sisaket province, seriously injuring two civilians who were seeking shelter after sirens warned them to move to safety.
This report draws on field accounts from Bangkok and contributions from correspondents in Cambodia and Washington.
