Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire after five days of tension

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire after five days of intense border clashes that left at least 38 dead and more than 300,000 people displaced.

The announcement was made by Malaysia's Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who presided over the negotiations as leader of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The ceasefire, which went into effect at midnight on Monday (local time), was reached after more than two hours of talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia, between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.

Thailand and Cambodia celebrate the ceasefire

The leaders of both countries praised the outcome of the meeting.

Hun Manet expressed his hope that bilateral relations will soon be normalized, which would allow about 300,000 evacuated people to return to their homes. Meanwhile, Phumtham emphasized Thailand's commitment to a peaceful solution to the conflict.

The violence began on July 24, when a landmine explosion on the border injured five Thai soldiers. Both countries blamed each other for starting the hostilities, which quickly escalated into clashes involving heavy artillery, rockets, and even the intervention of a Thai F-16 fighter jet.

As a result, at least 38 people, mostly civilians, died, and hundreds of thousands were displaced.

During the conflict, both nations withdrew their ambassadors and Thailand closed all border crossings with Cambodia. Tensions had already been rising since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed, which led to a military buildup on the border and a serious diplomatic crisis.

Countries thank Trump for his mediation

International pressure was key to reaching the agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he would not sign trade agreements with either party if the fighting did not stop. He also participated in the negotiations as co-organizer, along with China.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, declared himself "the president of peace" and said he was proud to have helped end another conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the United States expects the commitment reached to be respected.

Both regional leaders thanked Trump for his intervention and China's constructive contribution. Hun Manet stated on social media that he returned to Cambodia with "brilliant results," while Phumtham said that trade negotiations with the United States could now resume from a positive starting point.

Meanwhile, residents of the border areas, many of them staying in evacuation centers, expressed hope that they will be able to return to their homes soon.