Thailand has formally accused neighbouring Cambodia of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement that was signed just ten days ago. The Thai army alleges that Cambodian forces fired mortar rounds into Thai territory, wounding one soldier in the latest flare-up along the disputed border.
Details of the Alleged Ceasefire Breach
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province, an area situated along the contentious frontier. In an official statement, the Thai army declared, "Cambodia has violated the ceasefire," holding Cambodian forces responsible for the mortar fire. The attack resulted in one Thai soldier being injured by shrapnel, necessitating evacuation for urgent medical treatment.
This accusation casts a shadow over the truce that was agreed upon on December 27, which was intended to halt nearly three weeks of intense fighting. That round of clashes, which included fighter-jet sorties, rocket fire, and artillery barrages, represented the most severe violence between the two nations in years.
The Fragile Truce and Its Terms
When the ceasefire was signed, defence ministers from both countries committed to a critical measure: freezing all troop movements along the shared border. A joint statement emphasized, "Both sides agree to maintain current troop deployments without further movement." It explicitly warned that any reinforcement would increase tensions and harm long-term peace efforts.
The agreement was signed by Thai Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha. It ended approximately 20 days of fighting that had a devastating human cost, claiming at least 101 lives and displacing over half a million civilians on both sides of the border.
A Century-Old Border Dispute Re-ignites
The root of the conflict is a long-running sovereignty dispute over several undemarcated points along the 817-kilometre land border separating Thailand and Cambodia, a disagreement that spans more than a century. While tensions have simmered for decades, they periodically erupt into open violence.
The most recent escalation began in December of last year, with clashes killing dozens and forcing around one million people to flee their homes in border regions. This latest round of fighting was itself a re-ignition of hostilities in early December, following the collapse of a previous ceasefire. That earlier truce had been brokered with the involvement of US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The December 27 agreement also included humanitarian provisions, such as plans for the return of displaced civilians and a pledge from both sides not to use force against non-combatants. As part of the deal, Thailand had agreed to return 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during earlier clashes, contingent on the ceasefire holding for 72 hours. The latest alleged violation threatens these confidence-building measures and raises fears of a renewed downward spiral in relations.
