Thailand Suspends Border Peace Agreement with Cambodia

Thailand has halted the implementation of a recent border agreement with Cambodia, just two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump oversaw its signing. The decision follows a landmine explosion that injured Thai soldiers near the disputed frontier.

A government spokesman announced the suspension, citing the incident in Sisaket province along the Cambodian border. Cambodia, however, reaffirmed its commitment to the pact, which aims to secure lasting peace after deadly clashes in July that claimed over 40 lives.

The agreement—referred to by Thailand as a joint declaration rather than a formal peace deal—was signed in October during a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, attended by Trump. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed on Monday that he supported the defense chiefs’ recommendation to pause progress, stating that “the security threat has not actually decreased.”

According to reports, the soldiers were on patrol when the blast occurred, with one losing a foot. Anutin plans to visit the injured troops on Tuesday.

The longstanding dispute traces back over a century to colonial-era border demarcations during France’s occupation of Cambodia. It has sparked repeated conflicts, including the latest outbreak that displaced around 300,000 people. A ceasefire was quickly established, leading to the Kuala Lumpur declaration, officially titled the “Joint Declaration by the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia on the Outcomes of Their Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.”

Under the terms, both nations committed to withdrawing heavy weaponry from the contested area and deploying an interim observer team for monitoring. The next phase was expected to involve the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand.