Cambodia shuts border crossings with Thailand as Bangkok denies Trump claim of ceasefire
Cambodia has closed all official crossings with Thailand amid days of cross-border clashes, hours after Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul contradicted former U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that the two countries had agreed to halt fighting.
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The Interior Ministry in Phnom Penh said it would “suspend all entry and exit movements at all Cambodia-Thailand border crossings” effective immediately, following new fatalities along a frontier that has been contested for decades. The dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometer border has driven repeated spikes of violence and displaced large numbers of civilians.
At least 25 people have been killed this week, according to official figures from both sides. Thailand has reported 14 soldiers and seven civilians dead. Cambodia said four civilians were killed earlier in the week. Four of the Thai soldiers were killed in the border area, the defense ministry said.
Anutin said Saturday that Trump “didn’t mention whether we should make a ceasefire” during a call the day before. “The two leaders didn’t discuss the issue,” he told reporters, referring to conversations with Trump and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Trump had written on his Truth Social platform that both sides “have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord” reached in July.
The July truce was brokered by the United States, China and Malaysia, then serving as ASEAN chair, after an initial five days of violence. Trump later endorsed a joint declaration in October and touted trade prospects as Bangkok and Phnom Penh moved to prolong the truce. Thailand suspended that agreement the following month after Thai soldiers were wounded by landmines along the border.
Fighting and recriminations continued Saturday. The Thai army reported six civilians wounded by Cambodian rockets. Cambodia’s information minister, Neth Pheaktra, accused Thai forces of “expanding their attacks to include civilian infrastructure and Cambodian civilians.” A Thai navy spokesman said the air force “successfully destroyed” two Cambodian bridges used to move weapons toward the front. The claims could not be independently verified.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged both sides to “cease all forms of hostilities and refrain from any further military actions.” Thailand’s prime minister vowed to “continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people.” After speaking with Trump, Anutin said “the one who violated the agreement needs to fix the situation.” Hun Manet said Cambodia “has always been adhering to peaceful means for dispute resolutions.”
The human toll is mounting. Around 500,000 people have been displaced across both countries since the latest escalation began. In Thailand’s Buriram province, evacuees at a temporary camp phoned relatives near the frontier and were told fighting was ongoing. “I don’t trust Cambodia anymore,” said Kanyapat Saopria, 39. “The last round of peace efforts didn’t work out… I don’t know if this one will either.” Across the border, Vy Rina, 43, said she was “sad” the shooting had not stopped despite Trump’s intervention. “I am not happy with brutal acts,” she said.
The abrupt border closure threatens to complicate humanitarian relief and local commerce in communities that straddle the frontier, even as shelling and airstrikes push more families from their homes. Displaced residents continued to stream into camps in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province and to shelters in northeastern Thailand.
With both governments trading blame for civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, fresh diplomacy will likely hinge on reviving the July ceasefire framework and restoring communication channels along the border. For now, the border is sealed and the guns have not fallen silent.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
