President Donald Trump will participate in the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during his visit to Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN summit. The US president has taken credit for brokering the deal, which aims to resolve a decades-old territorial dispute that turned violent in July 2025.
The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia escalated dramatically in July 2025 when military forces from both nations engaged in five days of intense fighting along their disputed frontier. The clashes resulted in multiple fatalities and forced thousands of civilians to abandon their homes on both sides of the border, creating a humanitarian crisis that required urgent international mediation.
Malaysia emerged as the key mediator in the conflict, successfully negotiating a ceasefire that was implemented in late July 2025. Since the truce took effect, the Malaysian government has coordinated ASEAN observer teams that remain deployed along the border to monitor compliance and prevent any resumption of hostilities between the two Southeast Asian nations.
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 timing has been adjusted to accommodate the numerous international dignitaries expected to attend this historic diplomatic event, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders. 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 peace agreement represents the culmination of months of diplomatic work, including recent progress made during a two-day special meeting of the Cambodia-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for the Land Boundary held in Chanthaburi, Thailand, in late October. 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 moving closer to finalizing a Declaration of Thailand-Cambodia Relations designed to comprehensively address border issues. The territorial dispute has historically focused on ancient Hindu temple sites, particularly in the Dangrek Mountains, with the most serious previous violence occurring in 2011 when clashes near Preah Vihear temple resulted in at least 16 deaths.