America Calls for Cambodia and Thailand to “Cease Hostilities”
Kanako Mita, Michiyo Tanabe, and Noriko Watanabe
Modern Tokyo Times
The administration of President Donald Trump is calling for Cambodia and Thailand to “cease hostilities” and urgently return to diplomatic talks, as a dangerous border crisis threatens to escalate beyond control. Washington’s appeal follows rising regional alarm, with Southeast Asian states and external partners increasingly concerned that a localized dispute could ignite broader instability.
The October peace accord—which required both nations to implement de-escalatory mechanisms, increase communication channels, and restrain military activity—was intended to provide a diplomatic breathing space.
Yet, within weeks, the veneer of stability shattered. Long-standing mistrust, competing nationalist narratives, and contested zones around ancient temple complexes have once again pulled both countries toward confrontation.
The human cost is mounting. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are fleeing the frontier provinces, where fresh clashes have resulted in multiple casualties. Trump, acutely aware of the geopolitical implications, pledged to directly contact both Phnom Penh and Bangkok to help stem the crisis.
Reports indicate that air strikes and sustained artillery exchanges have erupted along several contested sectors. Militarily, Thailand holds clear advantages—its population, economic strength, and military capacity vastly exceed those of Cambodia. However, history offers repeated lessons: smaller nations, driven by nationalist zeal or territorial conviction, can and do fight with tenacity.
Cambodia’s military doctrine and political leadership may seek to offset its disadvantages through asymmetric tactics, hardened defensive positions, and appeals to international opinion.
The BBC notes, “The death toll over three days of hostilities stands at 10—seven from Cambodia and three from Thailand. Thai officials said they evacuated more than 400,000 people, while Phnom Penh said 100,000 on the Cambodian side have been moved to shelters.”
The scale of displacement underscores how quickly skirmishes can morph into a humanitarian crisis.
Bangkok claims its operations remain confined and measured. The Defense Ministry stated that Thailand’s actions are “limited in scope and employed as a last option,” hinting at a desire to avoid a full-scale conflict while still projecting military resolve.
Cambodia responded sharply, accusing Thailand of launching “aggressive military attacks” and inflicting damage on “sacred cultural sites”—a highly emotive accusation in a region where heritage and identity are deeply intertwined.
These flare-ups are not anomalies. As The Guardian observed, the 817km (508-mile) shared border has been “marred by conflict for more than a century,” with sovereignty disputes dating back to French colonial cartography in 1907. The Preah Vihear Temple and surrounding territory are emblematic of a broader historical wound—where cartographic ambiguity and nationalist memory collide.
Internal political dynamics are also at play. The Council on Foreign Relations stresses that the Thai military may have limited incentive to lower tensions, particularly ahead of an upcoming March parliamentary election. Heightened nationalist sentiment could strengthen pro-military parties and prevent a sweeping victory by the progressive People’s Party (PP). Conflict, in this context, becomes not only geopolitical but deeply political.
Across Southeast Asia, governments are watching nervously. Prolonged conflict could disrupt trade routes, destabilize border economies, and invite intervention from external powers seeking to shape regional alignments. Malaysia, the United States, and other potential mediators are quietly positioning themselves as honest brokers—hoping to bring both Bangkok and Phnom Penh back to the negotiating table before the situation escalates into something far more destructive.
Amid historical grievances, nationalist currents, and political calculations, diplomacy remains the only prudent path. The alternative risks drawing two proud nations into a conflict that neither can afford—and from which the region may take years to recover.
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