Thailand army accuses Cambodia of ceasefire violations

Thailand has accused Cambodian forces of violating a recently agreed-upon ceasefire, casting doubt on the fragile peace established to end a deadly border conflict. The Royal Thai Army reported sporadic clashes along the disputed 800km border, claiming Cambodian troops initiated attacks in multiple locations shortly after the truce took effect at midnight on Monday. Major-General Winthai Suvaree, a Thai army spokesperson, stated that Thai forces responded “appropriately” in self-defense to maintain national sovereignty, labeling Cambodia’s actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine trust.

The ceasefire, brokered during talks in Malaysia hosted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was intended to halt five days of intense fighting that claimed at least 38 lives and displaced nearly 300,000 people. A joint statement from Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia described the agreement as a critical step toward de-escalation and restoring stability. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, in a Tuesday morning Facebook post, claimed the frontline had calmed since the ceasefire began, contradicting Thailand’s allegations.

Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng, reporting from Thailand’s Surin province, noted that the Thai military reported clashes in several border areas, accusing Cambodia of failing to honor the truce. The agreement included plans for military commanders from both nations to meet on Tuesday at 10am local time (03:00 GMT) to address ongoing tensions, following a delay from an earlier scheduled time. A cross-border committee is also set to convene in Cambodia on August 4 to further ease hostilities.

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The conflict, rooted in a longstanding territorial dispute over areas like the Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear temples, has been the deadliest since clashes between 2008 and 2011. Both nations continue to trade accusations over who initiated the recent violence, with each claiming self-defense.