U.S. pushes for Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire amid renewed border clashes

The United States says it is working to secure a renewed ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, expressing cautious optimism that an agreement could be reached early next week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.

Speaking to journalists, Rubio said Washington was pressing both sides to return to previously signed commitments, adding that talks were ongoing and could yield results by Monday or Tuesday. He said the objective was to restore compliance and halt the renewed fighting along the border.

The latest clashes come despite written ceasefire commitments made earlier by both governments. Rubio said those agreements had temporarily reduced hostilities but were no longer being observed, as both sides accuse each other of violating the terms. He said the current diplomatic effort was aimed at bringing Thailand and Cambodia back to the negotiating table.

The conflict centres on a long-running territorial dispute along an 800-kilometre border drawn during the colonial era. Several ancient temple sites lie along the frontier and have repeatedly acted as flashpoints during periods of tension.

Violence this month has intensified, with officials reporting at least 21 people killed in Thailand and 18 in Cambodia. More than 800,000 residents on both sides of the border have been displaced as fighting spread to populated areas.

Rubio said he spoke by phone on Thursday with Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and confirmed that U.S. officials would continue diplomatic contacts over the weekend. The renewed ceasefire push comes ahead of a scheduled meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, where the crisis is expected to feature prominently.

Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump said American diplomacy had helped bring about a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, listing the dispute among conflicts he claimed had been resolved. Rubio’s comments suggest that while fighting was temporarily halted, enforcing the agreements has proved more difficult.

The renewed diplomatic effort reflects growing concern that without sustained pressure and monitoring, the ceasefire risks remaining fragile, with civilian populations continuing to bear the cost of unresolved border tensions.

Copied