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“DELIVERING PEACE”, the giant blue banner read.
The date: 26 October 2025. The scene: the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in the Malaysian capital. Everything – from the blue and red podium to the multitude of cameras and lights – indicated that it was a momentous occasion. And so it was. After decades of enmity and a long-running border dispute, the Southeast Asian nations of Cambodia and Thailand were finally burying the hatchet with the Kuala Lumpur Accord.
Presiding over the accord was none other than Donald Trump. “We signed a historic agreement to end the military conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. And we’re so honoured to be involved. And that was so important to me,” the US president said in a speech. “Two great countries, but. . . they were going at it.”
The accord has now been broken: Cambodia and Thailand are going at it again. Clashes between the two countries resumed on Monday. Each side says the other broke the ceasefire. And neither seems ready to back down.
The fighting is spreading along the disputed Cambodian-Thai border, with reports of airstrikes, rocket strikes and drone attacks. Half a million people have already fled the combat zones. As of Wednesday, 13 people have been killed.
It is only the latest round in a long-running conflict. Nearly five months ago, Cambodia and Thailand fought for five days near the disputed border area. Then as now, each belligerent accused the other of having attacked first. The human toll was high. At least 48 people – military personnel and civilians on both sides – died. And more than 300,000 were displaced.
Still, the fighting did not escalate into a full-blown war. Malaysia, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), brokered an emergency ceasefire with the help of other regional powers as well as the US and China. It paved the way for the Kuala Lumpur Accord, in which Cambodia and Thailand agreed to “remove heavy weapons from the border area” and “cooperate on removing landmines”. Thailand also promised to free 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.
It was always optimistic, if not naïve, to believe that the two countries would kiss and make up so quickly. Antagonism runs deep, and the origins of the conflict lie more in the early 20th century.
At the time, Cambodia was a French colony, whereas Thailand remained independent. Their current border was drawn in 1907 as a result of a treaty between France and Thailand, then known as Siam.
But, for decades now, both countries have disputed territory along their shared border. In particular, Thailand has claimed sovereignty over the ancient Preah Vihear temple. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear is Cambodian territory. Thailand accepted the ruling, but still disputes the surrounding land.
If the fighting does not stop soon, the consequences will extend beyond the immediate humanitarian suffering. The economies of both Thailand and Cambodia rely heavily on tourism, which is likely to plummet as hostilities intensify.
ASEAN is also in a tough spot. The bloc’s purpose is to foster cooperation between Southeast Asian nations. One of its “fundamental principles” is the “settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner”. If it cannot help Cambodia and Thailand get along, it risks losing credibility on the international stage.
This is happening just as ASEAN needs to be taken seriously. Southeast Asia, home to 700 million people, is one of the most strategic regions in the world. It sits astride major sea lanes and is a global manufacturing hub. China and the US, as well as Russia and India, vie for influence there.
It has therefore never been more important for ASEAN to project unity. And this starts with helping to resolve the Cambodian-Thai conflict.
