President Donald Trump will finalize a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during his attendance at the 47th ASEAN summit in Malaysia. The US president has taken credit for brokering what he describes as a “great peace deal” between two Southeast Asian nations that have been locked in territorial disputes for decades.
The peace deal responds to a serious escalation of the border conflict in July 2025, when Thai and Cambodian military forces engaged in sustained fighting for five days. The clashes resulted in multiple fatalities and created a displacement crisis as thousands of people fled their homes near the contested border areas, demonstrating the critical need for international mediation.
Malaysia played a crucial mediating role and successfully negotiated a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which was implemented in late July 2025. Since the truce took effect, the Malaysian government has coordinated ASEAN observer teams that continue to monitor the border and ensure both nations adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
While traveling aboard Air Force One, President Trump announced via Truth Social that the peace deal signing would take place immediately upon his arrival in Malaysia. The accelerated timing is intended to accommodate the large number of world leaders and officials attending this historic diplomatic event. Trump also expressed condolences for the death of Thailand’s Queen Mother and stated he would meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister shortly after landing. The ceremony will be witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders.
The peace agreement builds on recent diplomatic breakthroughs, including agreements reached during a two-day special meeting of the Cambodia-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for the Land Boundary held in Chanthaburi, Thailand, on October 21-22. Both nations reached several key agreements aimed at expediting the land demarcation process along their more than 800-kilometer shared border. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has indicated that both sides are nearing completion of a Declaration of Thailand-Cambodia Relations designed to permanently resolve border issues. The territorial dispute has historically focused on competing claims to ancient Hindu temple sites in the Dangrek Mountains, with the most serious previous incident occurring in 2011 when clashes near Preah Vihear temple resulted in at least 16 deaths.