Thailand Vows to Continue Strikes on Cambodia Despite Ceasefire Claims

Thailand says it will continue military strikes against Cambodia until it no longer feels threatened, despite US claims that both sides agreed to a ceasefire. Ongoing clashes linked to a long-standing border dispute have killed more than 20 people and displaced over 500,000, with each country accusing the other of violating agreements and targeting civilians.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday that Thailand would continue carrying out military strikes against Cambodia until the country no longer felt threatened by its neighbour, stressing that no ceasefire was currently in effect. Speaking to local media, he insisted that Cambodia must first halt its attacks.

In a Facebook post, Anutin stated that Thailand would “continue to perform military actions until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people,” reiterating his earlier remarks to reporters that responsibility for de-escalation lay with Cambodia. “I want to make it clear. Our actions this morning already spoke,” he said.

The latest cross-border fighting follows the revival this year of a long-standing territorial dispute between the two countries. According to officials, the clashes have forced more than 500,000 people to flee their homes and have resulted in over 20 deaths, including several civilians, while hundreds of others have been injured.

Anutin’s comments came a day after US President Donald Trump said both Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to stop fighting after several days of violence along their shared border, which stretches roughly 800 kilometers. Trump said on Friday that the two sides had reached an understanding to end the hostilities.

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry, however, said in a Facebook statement that Thai forces had not halted their operations and that bombing was still ongoing. Cambodia’s Information Minister, Neth Pheaktra, accused Thai forces of expanding their attacks to include civilian infrastructure and civilians, allegations that Thailand has denied.

Royal Thai Air Force spokesperson Chakkrit Thammavichai said Thai military operations were being conducted with high-precision weapons specifically to prevent harm to innocent civilians.

Trump, who has been mediating between the two countries, said on Friday that he had spoken by phone with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Anutin. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said both leaders had agreed to a truce. “They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord” reached in July, he wrote, describing the discussion as a “very good conversation.”

Following the call, Anutin said Cambodia was “going to comply with the ceasefire,” adding that “the one who violated the agreement needs to fix the situation.”

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said his country “has always been adhering to peaceful means for dispute resolutions.”

A ceasefire had previously been brokered in July by the United States, China and Malaysia after five days of fighting, after which both sides announced an extension of the truce. However, the agreement was suspended in November after Thai soldiers were injured by landmines near the border.

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back to the 1950s, shortly after Cambodia gained independence from France. It initially focused on competing claims over the ancient Hindu Preah Vihear temple before later expanding to include other contested areas along the border.