The peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, once hailed by US President Donald Trump as a diplomatic triumph, is now in jeopardy after both countries traded accusations of opening fire across their disputed border on Wednesday — a confrontation that left at least one person dead.
The brief but deadly skirmish erupted just two days after Thailand suspended the peace deal following a landmine explosion that injured four of its soldiers while patrolling the frontier in Sisaket province.
According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense, Thai troops fired on civilians in a border village in Banteay Meanchey province around 3:50 p.m., killing one and injuring three others. A second round of gunfire reportedly occurred two hours later.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, accused Thailand of “provocative actions intended to incite clashes” and of violating the terms of the peace declaration signed last month in Kuala Lumpur.
However, Thailand’s military disputed that account. Maj. Gen. Winthai Suwaree, spokesperson for the Thai army, said Cambodian troops fired first toward Thai territory in Sa Kaeo province at about 4:00 p.m.
“Thai troops took cover and returned warning shots in accordance with the rules of engagement,” he said, adding that no Thai soldiers were injured and that the incident lasted roughly ten minutes.
The renewed hostilities mark a dramatic reversal for the peace initiative that Trump had celebrated as evidence of his ability to “end wars.” The October peace declaration, signed in Kuala Lumpur and witnessed by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, followed a five-day conflict in July that killed dozens and displaced more than 200,000 people.
At the time, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet even nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize following his mediation between Bangkok and Phnom Penh.
Tensions have simmered for weeks. On Monday, Thailand announced it was “halting all agreements” with Cambodia after the landmine incident, accusing Phnom Penh of planting new mines — a charge Cambodia has strongly denied.
Hun Manet condemned Wednesday’s clash as “a grave act against international law” and urged for an independent investigation.
“I call on the Thai side to immediately cease the use of force against innocent Cambodian civilians,” Hun Manet wrote on Facebook, emphasizing that Cambodia remained committed to the peace agreement.
The two neighbors share an 800-kilometer (500-mile) border, parts of which have been disputed for decades. The conflict traces back to colonial-era maps drawn by the French when Cambodia was under their control — maps Thailand has never fully recognized.
While both countries had pledged to de-escalate tensions and withdraw heavy weapons from border zones, Wednesday’s exchange underscores the fragility of the truce and the difficulty of sustaining peace in one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile fault lines.
