President Donald Trump will formalize peace objectives between Thailand and Cambodia at the Malaysia gathering, calling it a “great peace deal” that he proudly brokered. The formalization will take place during the 47th ASEAN summit, where Trump will also hold discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The peace objectives respond to a serious escalation of the decades-old border dispute in July 2025, when Thai and Cambodian military forces clashed for five consecutive days along their contested frontier. The violent confrontation resulted in fatalities and created a displacement crisis as thousands of people fled their homes, demonstrating the critical need for international mediation.
Malaysia successfully intervened as a neutral mediator and negotiated a ceasefire that was implemented in late July 2025, effectively ending the active phase of the conflict. Since the truce took effect, the Malaysian government has coordinated ASEAN observer teams that remain deployed along the border to monitor compliance and prevent any resumption of hostilities.
While traveling aboard Air Force One, President Trump announced via Truth Social that the peace objectives formalization would occur immediately upon his arrival in Malaysia. The expedited schedule is designed to accommodate the large number of world leaders attending this significant event, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders. Trump also expressed sympathy for Thailand following the death of the Queen Mother and confirmed plans to meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister upon landing.
The formalized peace objectives represent the culmination of intensive diplomatic work, including recent progress made during a two-day special meeting of the Cambodia-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for the Land Boundary held in Chanthaburi, Thailand, in late October. Both nations reached several key agreements aimed at expediting the land demarcation process along their more than 800-kilometer shared border. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has indicated that both countries are close to finalizing a Declaration of Thailand-Cambodia Relations designed to permanently resolve border issues. The territorial dispute has historically focused 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.