...
By Micah McCartney
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Thailand will chart its own course after pulling out of a peace agreement with Cambodia that was backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Spiraling tensions threaten to drag the Southeast Asian neighbors back into conflict, just weeks after a peace pact was signed in Kuala Lumpur on October 26 to formalize a ceasefire that ended five days of fighting in July—violence that left 43 dead and displaced more than 300,000 people.
Read More on World
Trump has taken credit for the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, which the U.S. considers a "major non-NATO ally," by threatening to halt trade negotiations with each side. The short-lived war is one of eight the president claims to have ended.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Thai and Cambodian defense ministries for comment.
...
What To Know
Anutin visited troops in the border province of Sisaket on Wednesday, meeting with four Thai soldiers injured Monday after reportedly triggering a Cambodian landmine, an incident that prompted Thailand to announce it would suspend the peace deal.
During his visit, Anutin stressed that the government fully backs the military’s actions and accused Cambodia of failing to honor the agreement, the Thai Enquirer reported. He accused Phnom Penh of violating the pact and said the Thai military had the full backing of its government. He stressed that Thailand would proceed as it deems fit.
"We are a sovereign nation and do not need to report to anyone, not even to U.S. President Donald Trump," he added.
Also on Wednesday, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry said that Thai troops had opened fire on Cambodian civilians in Banteay Meanchey Province, killing one and wounding three others.
"The incident represents a serious violation of Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a grave breach of international humanitarian law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, ASEAN Charter, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia," it said.
The 1st Thai Army refuted the account, stating that soldiers had heard about 30 shots—believed to be from an AK-47—before returning warning fire.
"Thai troops are operating strictly according to established procedures and are ready to protect the safety and interests of Thai citizens," the army said in a statement shared on social media Khaosod English, adding that no Thai personnel were injured.
In a statement on Monday, the Cambodian Defense Ministry expressed "regret" over the landmine explosion, noting Thai officials had speculated that possible new mines were being laid.
The ministry stressed that Cambodia has been "fully and consistently in compliance" with the Ottawa Convention, the 1997 international treaty that bans anti-personnel mines, while acknowledging that mines from past conflicts remain a danger along the border.
What People Are Saying
A senior Trump administration official told Newsweek on Monday: “President Trump is committed to the continued cessation of violence and expects the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to fully honor their commitments to end this conflict.”
The Cambodian Foreign Ministry called on Thailand "to renounce the use of force and return to its declared commitment to mutual respect, to peace and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, as embodied in the Joint Declaration signed […] on 26 October 2025."
What Happens Next
The Thai Defense Ministry has approved a return to defensive military operations along the border, following the Cabinet and National Security Council's move to suspend the treaty, the Thai Enquirer reported. The suspension also cancels the planned handover of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war that had been scheduled for November 12.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he had spoken with his Cambodian counterpart, Prak Sokhonn, and would lodge a formal protest with the Cambodian government. He also said he would brief the U.S. and Malaysia, whose prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, oversaw the October signing, about the latest landmine incident.
In its statement, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry said it had lodged a formal protest through the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and would take "appropriate follow-up measures" including an investigation into the killing. The ministry invited "all interested partners" to take part in the investigation.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines