Thailand Suspends Trump-Brokered Peace Agreement with Cambodia

Darwin, 11 November-

Thailand has announced the suspension of its recently signed peace agreement with Cambodia following a landmine explosion along the border that injured several Thai soldiers. The incident has reignited tensions between the two neighboring countries.

According to a CNN report on Tuesday, the peace deal — signed just two weeks ago in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump — is now on hold as Thailand investigates the explosion.

The report stated that on Monday, four Thai soldiers were injured when a landmine exploded while they were patrolling near the Cambodian border in Sisaket province. The Thai army confirmed that one soldier lost a leg in the blast.

Major General Winthai Suvari, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, said, “It was a routine patrol. However, the area had recently seen the removal of some wire fencing, which raised our suspicions.” He alleged that Cambodia might have planted new landmines, calling it a violation of the peace agreement.

The Cambodian government, however, rejected the accusation as “completely baseless.” In an official statement, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “We have not planted any new landmines, nor will we in the future. Some areas along the border still contain unexploded mines from past conflicts that have not yet been cleared.”

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters, “The security situation remains concerning. I support the actions taken by our defense forces.”

The Bangkok Post reported that Cambodia has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the peace agreement despite the recent incident and hopes that diplomatic dialogue will continue.

The peace deal, signed in October in Malaysia, followed deadly border clashes in July that left more than 40 people dead. Under the agreement, both countries committed to withdrawing heavy weaponry and forming a joint monitoring team. The next phase of the accord included Thailand’s release of 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.

The Thailand–Cambodia border dispute dates back nearly a century to the post-French colonial era when border demarcation issues first arose. This long-standing conflict has repeatedly strained bilateral relations.

Analysts believe that if the peace agreement had been fully implemented, it could have paved the way for long-awaited lasting peace between the two nations.