Trump vows to ‘stop war’ as Thailand–Cambodia clashes at border, shatters peace deal

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump-brokered agreement between Thailand and Cambodia appears to be shattered as fresh border clashes have claimed eight lives on Wednesday, plunged the fragile peace process into deeper uncertainty.

He acknowledged that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has flared up again, US President Donald Trump said that he will intervene to halt the crisis.

“It started up today. Tomorrow I have to make a phone call. I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war,” Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday

The renewed violence underscores the failure of diplomatic efforts to stabilize the longstanding territorial dispute between the two neighbours.

The latest clashes escalated after a landmine explosion in November injured four Thai soldiers, reigniting tensions along the disputed border.

Both countries have ignored calls from the United States to halt hostilities and comply with the Trump-backed peace agreement signed in Malaysia in October.

Trump had warned that Washington would withhold future trade deals from either nation if they refused to endorse or implement the accord.

Thailand suspended all work related to the peace agreement and accused Cambodia of breaching the joint declaration by allegedly laying new landmines along the frontier, an accusation Phnom Penh has strongly denied.

Bangkok has halted the tentative release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war captured during the July clashes, further deepening the diplomatic standoff.

Media reported 400,000 people living along the border dividing the two Southeast Asian nations have been evacuated amid the latest flare-up.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow hinted that the situation could worsen, telling CNN that military action would continue “until we feel that sovereignty and territorial integrity are not challenged.”

The fighting, stemmed from decades-old competing territorial claims along their 500-mile (800-kilometre) land border, is the most intense since a deadly five-day conflict in July.

The Thai Air Force said Cambodia had been mobilizing heavy weapons and repositioning combat units. Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense denied the allegations, said Thai forces had “engaged in numerous provocative actions for many days,” without elaborating.

Thai Navy accused Cambodian troops of firing heavy weapons, including BM-21 rockets, into civilian areas, and alleged that Cambodia had deployed special operations units and snipers to the border, dug trenches to fortify positions, and encroached into Thai territory in the coastal Trat province—“a direct and serious threat to Thailand’s sovereignty.”

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnviraku said he was ready to take necessary measures to ensure the country’s security and sovereignty.

Cambodian Defense Ministry urged the international community to condemn Thailand’s violation of the peace agreement.