Cambodia and Thailand agreed this Saturday, December 27, to an “immediate ceasefire” in the border conflict, which has caused at least 47 deaths and almost a million people displaced in three weeks, according to a joint statement.
“The two parties agree to an immediate ceasefire from the signing of this joint declaration, with effect from 12:00 (local time, 05:00 GMT) on December 27, 2025”, states the document, signed by the defense ministers of the two Southeast Asian neighbors, cited by AFP.
“Both parties agree to allow civilians living in the affected border areas to return to their homes as quickly as possible, without obstruction and in safety and dignity,” the joint statement added.
The text also mentions the freezing of military positions, the removal of mines in border areas, police cooperation to combat cybercrime and the release by Bangkok of 18 Cambodian soldiers after 72 hours of effective ceasefire.
According to the latest official reports, 47 people were killed in total in the last three weeks: 26 on the Thai side and 21 on the Cambodian side.
The two countries have long been at odds over the layout of the 820-kilometer border that divides them, decided during the French colonial period.
On Wednesday, the two countries began a cycle of negotiations expected to last four days, which concluded today. The negotiations took place at a border post in the Thai province of Chanthaburi, after Cambodia initially demanded a “neutral location”.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet revealed on Friday that he had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which they discussed ways to guarantee a ceasefire along the border.