United States President Donald Trump will ratify a peace settlement between Thailand and Cambodia upon touching down in Malaysia, the president announced while traveling aboard Air Force One. Trump has described the settlement as a “great peace deal” that he personally brokered between two Southeast Asian nations locked in a decades-long territorial dispute.
The peace settlement responds to violent border clashes that erupted in July 2025 between Thai and Cambodian forces along their contested frontier. The five-day military confrontation resulted in casualties and created a displacement crisis as thousands of civilians abandoned their homes, underscoring the severity of the conflict and the urgent need for diplomatic resolution.
Malaysia successfully intervened as a neutral mediator and negotiated a ceasefire that was implemented in late July 2025, effectively halting the fighting. The Malaysian government has maintained its peacekeeping role by coordinating ASEAN observer missions that continue to monitor the border areas and ensure both Thailand and Cambodia adhere to the terms of the truce.
President Trump’s visit to Malaysia will include participation in the 47th ASEAN summit and discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In his Truth Social announcement, Trump stated that the peace settlement ratification would occur immediately upon his arrival to accommodate the large number of international leaders attending this significant event. He also expressed condolences for the recent death of Thailand’s Queen Mother and confirmed he would meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister shortly after landing. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders will witness the ratification ceremony.
The peace settlement addresses a territorial dispute spanning more than 800 kilometers of shared border between Cambodia and Thailand, including multiple non-demarcated areas. Recent diplomatic progress includes agreements reached during an October meeting of the Joint Commission in Chanthaburi, Thailand, where both nations committed to advancing boundary demarcation efforts. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has indicated that both countries are nearing completion of a Declaration of Thailand-Cambodia Relations designed to comprehensively resolve the border situation. The dispute has historically centered on ancient Hindu temple sites in the Dangrek Mountains, with previous violence in 2011 near Preah Vihear temple resulting in at least 16 deaths.
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