South East Asian foreign ministers meeting in Malaysia are seeking to revive a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia after two weeks of deadly border clashes that have killed at least 60 people and forced more than half a million from their homes.
Ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to try to salvage a truce previously brokered by Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, and U.S. President Donald Trump following border clashes in July.
The talks marked the first face-to-face meeting involving both governments since fighting resumed on 8 December. Thailand and Cambodia were represented by their respective foreign ministers.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the meeting was aimed at restoring stability in the region.
"It is my hope that this special meeting will renew our efforts for a return to stability in the affected areas. ASEAN must do whatever is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability," he said.
"Our goal goes beyond de-escalating the tension. We must intensify trust-building among the conflicting parties and provide the horizons for dialogue despite the prevailing differences."
The diplomatic effort comes as the U.S. and China pursue separate initiatives to end the conflict, with no clear breakthrough so far.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh accuse each other of responsibility for the latest violence and of breaching a ceasefire and enhanced truce agreed in October in Malaysia, in the presence of President Trump. That agreement included commitments to demining and the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons.
Heavy exchanges of fire have since taken place at several points along the countries’ 817km land border, stretching from forested areas near Laos to coastal provinces.
Cambodia's defence ministry said Thailand had violated its sovereignty with more "armed aggression" on Monday and vowed to defend what it said was its territory "at any cost".
Thailand has accused Cambodia of attempting to fire rockets at a border town and said one of its soldiers lost a leg after stepping on a landmine. Bangkok has also alleged that Cambodia laid new mines in breach of international treaty obligations, a claim Phnom Penh denies.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he hoped the meeting would allow both sides to negotiate openly and reach a lasting settlement.
"I emphasised the importance for Cambodia and Thailand to uphold the spirit of dialogue, wisdom and mutual respect in order to end the tensions and maintain peace and stability in this region," he wrote on X.
An ASEAN team is expected to present findings from field observations and satellite-monitoring data provided by the U.S. to the foreign ministers.
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Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers on Wednesday, ending their 155-day detention. This comes after a ceasefire agreement between the two countries halted 20 days of fighting that killed over 100 people and displaced more than half a million. The soldiers were handed over at a border checkpoint.
The U.S. on Saturday welcomed the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, which ended weeks of deadly border clashes, and called on both countries to fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement.
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