Truce will come into effect at midnight, says Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim
DNA
PUTRAJAYA: Thailand and Cambodia will enter into an unconditional ceasefire starting at midnight Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Monday.
“Both Cambodia and Thailand reached a common understanding as follows: One, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with effect from 24 hours local time, midnight on 28th July 2025, tonight,” PM Ibrahim said after mediation talks in Malaysia.
The development comes as the two Southeast Asian neighbours had been engaged in ceasefire talks on the fifth day of the deadly skirmishes over their festering border dispute.
“The solutions that PM [Anwar] Ibrahim just announced will set a condition for moving forward for our bilateral discussion to return to normalcy of the relationship,” Cambodian PM Hun Manet announced after peace talks brokered by the Malaysian premier.
More than 200,000 people have fled the frontier as the two exchanged artillery, rockets and gun fire in the long-disputed area, which is home to a collection of ancient temples.
A series of motorcades, including some sporting US and Chinese flags, arrived at Seri Perdana, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim´s official residence, on Monday afternoon.
Today’s meeting comes after US President Donald Trump intervened, making a late-night weekend call to both Southeast Asian leaders, who he said agreed to “quickly work out” a truce.
Ibrahim, whose country currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is mediating, while US State Department officials and a Chinese delegation were also present.
Ahead of the talks, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and accusations.
Phumtham said Bangkok did not believe Phnom Penh “is acting in good faith.”
Meanwhile, Cambodia’s defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said Monday was “the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia’s territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops”.
