United States President Donald Trump will verify peace measures between Thailand and Cambodia upon arriving in Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN summit. The president has described himself as the proud broker of this “great peace deal” between two Southeast Asian nations with a long history of territorial disputes.
The peace measures respond to a violent escalation of the border dispute in July 2025, when Thai and Cambodian military forces clashed for five consecutive days along their contested frontier. The military engagement resulted in casualties and created a displacement crisis as thousands of civilians fled the violence, underscoring the urgent need for diplomatic resolution.
Through Malaysian mediation, a ceasefire was successfully negotiated and implemented in late July 2025. The Malaysian government has continued to play a central role in maintaining peace by coordinating ASEAN observer missions that monitor the border situation and ensure both Thailand and Cambodia comply with the terms of the truce.
President Trump announced via Truth Social while aboard Air Force One that the peace measures verification would occur immediately upon his arrival in Malaysia. This schedule is designed to accommodate all the international dignitaries expected to attend this historic event, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders. Trump also expressed condolences for the death of Thailand’s Queen Mother and confirmed he would meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister upon landing.
The verified peace measures address 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 stated that both countries are close to finalizing 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 serious violence in 2011 near Preah Vihear temple resulting in at least 16 deaths.