ASEAN to Oversee Cambodia-Thailand Border Ceasefire

Nations Agree to ASEAN Observer Team Following Deadly Border Clashes

Kuala Lumpur – Cambodia and Thailand have officially agreed to allow the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to monitor a recently brokered ceasefire, aiming to de-escalate tensions following intense border fighting that claimed dozens of lives.

Observer Mission Established

An interim observer team composed of defense attaches from ASEAN member states, led by Malaysia’s representative, will be stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border. This contingent will oversee compliance with the ceasefire agreement reached late last month.

High-Level Talks Address Conflict

Top defense officials from both nations convened in Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, to finalize the arrangements. Thailand’s Acting Minister of Defence, Nattaphon Narkphanit, met with his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Seiha, concluding four days of discussions.

Lingering Accusations Despite Truce

Despite the ceasefire, both Thailand and Cambodia have continued to accuse each other of cross-border attacks. The recent hostilities, which began on July 24 and lasted five days, resulted in at least 32 fatalities in Thailand and a minimum of 13 in Cambodia. The long-standing border dispute, stemming from an 817km undemarcated stretch, was reignited last month by a landmine incident that injured five Thai soldiers.

The agreement mandates a comprehensive ceasefire covering all weapon types and attacks on civilian or military targets. Both sides are committed to avoiding unprovoked firing across the border and have pledged to maintain open communication channels between all military areas along their shared frontier, seeking peaceful resolutions.

Future Border Committee Meetings Planned

The countries have also resolved to convene the Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meeting within two weeks following an Extraordinary GBC Meeting scheduled for August 7, 2025. This framework aims to institutionalize ongoing dialogue and conflict resolution.

US Welcomes Ceasefire Mechanism

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio lauded the development, stating it represents an “important step forward in solidifying the ceasefire arrangement and establishing the ASEAN observation mechanism.”

The July 28 ceasefire gained momentum amid economic pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who had indicated he would not pursue trade deals if the conflict continued. Following the agreement, Washington reduced tariffs on goods from both nations from 36% to 19% earlier this month, as reported by Al Jazeera. The ongoing border disputes between nations in Southeast Asia highlight the persistent challenges to regional stability. For instance, in 2023, border skirmishes between Myanmar and Bangladesh along the Naf River raised humanitarian concerns, displacing thousands (Reuters, 2023).