Thailand Suspends Peace Agreement with Cambodia After Border Mine Blast

TDT | Manama

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Thailand announced on Monday that it is suspending the implementation of a peace agreement with neighboring Cambodia following a landmine explosion that injured two Thai soldiers near the border.

The agreement, overseen by former U.S. President Donald Trump, was intended to secure a lasting end to hostilities after border clashes in July left at least 43 people dead and displaced more than 300,000 civilians on both sides.

According to the Royal Thai Army, the explosion in Sisaket province caused severe leg injuries to one soldier, while another suffered chest pains due to the blast’s pressure.

Thai government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said Bangkok would halt “the follow-up to the joint declaration,” referring to the accord signed in Kuala Lumpur in late October, months after the initial ceasefire agreement. As part of the agreement, Thailand had planned to release 18 Cambodian soldiers it had been holding.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters, “We thought that the security threat had eased, but it has not actually decreased.”

Cambodian authorities did not immediately comment on the incident, though they have previously denied Thai claims that new landmines were being planted along the border. Cambodia’s defense ministry, however, reiterated its “unwavering commitment” to peace.

Thailand and Cambodia have long-standing border disputes dating back over a century. The July clashes were triggered by Thai accusations that Cambodian forces planted landmines, causing injuries to Thai troops.

The initial truce, brokered in late July with the involvement of Trump, Chinese diplomats, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim—chair of the ASEAN bloc—had largely held. The October joint declaration called for mine-clearing operations, withdrawal of heavy weapons, and monitoring access by ASEAN ceasefire teams. Following the signing, Cambodia also withdrew heavy weapons from the border.

Despite these measures, analysts note that a comprehensive resolution addressing the territorial dispute remains elusive, as both sides continue to trade accusations of ceasefire violations.