Thailand Accuses Cambodia of Violating Ceasefire Agreement

Accusations and Rising Tensions Between Thailand and Cambodia

The Royal Thai Army has accused Cambodia of breaching a recently signed ceasefire agreement, which came after weeks of bloody confrontations that forced nearly a million people to flee their homes. In a statement, the Thai military reported that over 250 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected flying from the Cambodian side on Sunday evening.

The ceasefire agreement took effect on Saturday at noon (05:00 GMT). Both sides had agreed to freeze front lines, prohibit reinforcements, and allow civilians to return from border areas as soon as possible. This was seen as an achievement following days of negotiations between the two countries, spurred by the diplomacy of China and the United States.

In a statement on Monday, the Royal Thai Army asserted that Cambodia's actions "constitute a provocation and a violation of measures intended to reduce tensions," adding that these actions are "incompatible" with the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The military also indicated that it "may be compelled to reassess" the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand since July.

Thailand would be "obliged to act in accordance... [if] violations of agreements and national sovereignty continue," officials noted. So far, Cambodia has not commented on these accusations. The statement came just hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised the "hard-won ceasefire," while U.S. President Donald Trump commended the "swift and fair conclusion" of the negotiations.

The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is not new, rooted in issues that date back over a century. Recent tensions escalated earlier this year after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs at a disputed temple. A Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation in May, leading to relations between the two countries reaching their lowest point in a decade.

Days of intense fighting along the border have resulted in the deaths of dozens of soldiers and civilians, with thousands of people displaced. A fragile ceasefire agreement was reached in July and signed in October, but it was nullified earlier this month when new confrontations erupted. Both sides have blamed each other for the breaches of the agreement.