Summary

  • Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" following peace talks

  • Malaysia's leader Anwar Ibrahim said the ceasefire would take effect from midnight local time, adding: "This is a vital first step to a de-escalation and a restoration of peace and security".

  • At least 33 people have been killed and thousands displaced since 24 July when fighting escalated following months of tensions

  • The talks were held after US President Donald Trump asked both nations to agree to a ceasefire as a pre-condition to their respective trade talks with Washington

  • The dispute between the two South East Asian nations dates back to over a century, when their borders were drawn following the French occupation of Cambodia

Watch: Cambodians flee to refugee camps as border clash continues

Live Reporting

Edited by Ayeshea Perera with reporting from Jonathan Head in Bangkok and May Titthara in Phnom Penh

  1. 'Khmer citizens don't want the war at all'

    May Titthara
    Reporting from Phnom Penh

    Meas Sovanarith (lying on the mat) has been thinking about his son on the frontlinesSupplied

    Meas Sovanarith (lying on the mat) has been thinking about his son on the frontlines

    While peace negotiations are ongoing, I've been speaking to ordinary Cambodians who are desperately appealing to authorities to stop the conflict.

    "Our Khmer citizens don't want to have the war at all," said Meas Sovanarith in Samraong, a town in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province that borders Thailand.

    The 70-year-old has evacuated here with nine others in his family. They are dearly missing his son, a Cambodian soldier now fighting on the frontlines.

    "I am thinking so much about him," he said in between tears.

    Even though leaders of the two countries have agreed to peace talks, Meas Sovanarith is not confident of a positive outcome. "The Thais always change their minds, they always break their promises," he tells me.

    Thailand and Cambodia have each been blaming the other for the recent escalation.

  2. What we know about the casualties on both sides

    Map showing disputed areas in Thailand and Cambodia

    Thailand's military said on Sunday that 22 Thais, including civilians and soldiers, have died in the clashes.

    More than 100 have been injured, and nearly 140,000 civilians have been evacuated to shelters across seven provinces, the Thai military wrote in a post on Facebook.

    As of two days ago, Cambodia said 13 of its citizens were killed.

    About 135,000 people along the border were relocated on Sunday, the pro-state Khmer Times reported, quoting a defence ministry spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, 400,000 Cambodian workers have returned from Thailand as the conflict disrupted their jobs, Khmer Times reported citing the labour ministry.

  3. China calls for end to conflict 'as soon as possible'

    China, which has political and economic ties with both Cambodia and Thailand, says it welcomes efforts to end fighting between the South East Asian neighbours.

    Calling for an end to the conflict "as soon as possible", Beijing's foreign ministry said: "We hope that both sides will start from the shared interests of their peoples, uphold the spirit of valuing peace and promoting good neighbourliness, remain calm and exercise restraint."

  4. First photos from the meeting

    The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are now sitting in the same room, as peace talks are held at the official residence of Malaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, around 30 minutes from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

    Officials from US and China, who both said they want to see a de-escalation of the conflict, are also in attendance.

    wide shot of a room with officials sitting at rectangular tablesGetty Images

    Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is mediating the talks

    Side view of Hun ManetGetty Images

    Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet

    Side view of Phumtham WechayachaiGetty Images

    Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai

  5. Peace talks begin in Malaysia
    Breaking

    The peace negotiations between Thai and Cambodian leaders are underway, according to Reuters and AFP.

    We'll bring you the latest updates as we get them. Please stay with us.

  6. Here's what you need to know

    In just a few minutes, the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia will meet for peace talks as deadly border clashes enter a fifth day.

    If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:

    • Thailand has reported 22 deaths - including 14 civilians - since the clashes started on Thursday. Cambodia has not released a national casualty toll
    • Their dispute dates back more than a century, when their borders were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia. There have been sporadic clashes over the years. Now, each side is blaming the other the recent escalation
    • Peace talks are set to begin in Kuala Lumpur at 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT). Malaysia's leader Anwar Ibrahim will chair the talks. Officials from China and the US are also expected to be there
    • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the US wants the conflict to end "as soon as possible"
    • President Donald Trump said that tariff negotiations with Washington will not proceed until the "fighting STOPS"
    • Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for an "immediate ceasefire", but his Thai counterpart Phumtham Wechayachai said he would have to assess if Cambodia shows "genuine intent" at the meeting

  7. In pictures: Conflict displaces tens of thousands

    Intense fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in the last five days has claimed dozens of lives, wounded many more, and displaced tens of thousands of people. Here's a look at the situation in evacuation centres, border checkpoints and in cities farther afield from the border provinces.

    Cambodian migrant workers wait to cross the Ban Laem border checkpoint in large numbers on July 28, 2025 in Chanthaburi, ThailandGetty Images

    Cambodian workers in Thailand wait in droves to cross a border checkpoint in the Thai town of Chanthaburi

    Cambodian families hunkering down a refugee camp housing more than 27,000 people, after fleeing from the Choam Ksant district near Thai-Cambodian borderGetty Images

    Cambodian families hunker down in tents after fleeing from the Choam Ksant district near the border with Thailand

    An aerial view shows people, who fled their homes near the border area between Cambodia and Thailand, taking shelter in dozens of blue tents in a part of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey provinceGetty Images

    An aerial view of the evacuation camps in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province

    Colors of the Thai national flag on display at a shopping mall in Bangkok, ThailandEPA

    In Thailand's capital Bangkok, the country's flag has been put up in several places as a way of encouraging soldiers and civilians

    Activists have taken to the streets in Bangkok to call for an end to the conflictGetty Images

    Activists have taken to the streets in Bangkok to call for an end to the conflict

  8. Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting?

    Flora Drury and Gavin Butler
    BBC News

    A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck carrying a Russian-made BM-21 rocket launcher travelling along a street in Oddar Meanchey provinceGetty Images

    A Cambodian truck carrying a Russian-made BM-21 rocket launcher in a border province

    Simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia exploded into a deadly battle at the border last Thursday.

    Each side is blaming each other for causing the escalation. Thailand has accused Cambodia of then firing rockets, while Bangkok carried out air strikes on Cambodian military targets.

    In fact, the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

    Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in a contested area as a Unesco World Heritage Site - a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.

    Over the years there have been sporadic clashes that have seen soldiers and civilians killed on both sides.

    The latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in more than a decade.

    Read more here on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

  9. Watch: Cambodians flee to refugee camps as border clash continues

    Here is the situation on the Cambodia side of the border.

    Watch: Cambodians flee to refugee camps as border clash continues

  10. US wants conflict to end 'as soon as possible' - Rubio

    Close up photo of US Secretary of State Marco RubioEPA

    The US wants the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia to end "as soon as possible", Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.

    State Department officials are in Malaysia to assist in peace talks, Rubio said on the eve of the negotiations, which will start in less than two hours.

    Earlier, we reported that the talks come after US President Donald Trump asked both South East Asian countires to agree to a ceasefire as a condition for trade talks with Washington.

  11. Thais and Cambodians slug it out on social media, as border tensions flare

    Koh Ewe
    Live page reporter

    People evacuated from border areas sit on mats at an evacuation center at IQ New Town market amid the escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia in Surin, ThailandGetty Images

    Scene at an evacuation centre in the Thai border province of Surin

    As the border clashes intensify, a different kind of war between their citizens has been raging - via increasingly belligerent exchanges on social media.

    Nationalists from both sides have long bickered over several points of national pride - from ownership of temples and territories to the origins of traditional dances, costumes, food and sports.

    The rising tensions in recent weeks, which culminated in the deadly attacks on Thursday, have now prompted young people on both sides to trade fresh barbs online.

    The comment sections of social media posts about the conflict have turned into an online warzone, with Thai and Cambodian users arguing with each other and backing their governments official version of events.

    "Justice for Cambodia," one Cambodian user commented on a TikTok video of a user trying to explain the conflict. "Thai troops opened fire on Cambodian forces first."

    "[Who's] gonna trust [what] the largest scammer country said?" a Thai user replied, making a reference to the widespread scam centres in Cambodia that have entrapped hundreds of thousands.

  12. Cambodian prime minister seeks 'immediate ceasefire'

    Cambodian Prime Minister Hun ManetEPA

    The purpose of peace talks in Kuala Lumpur is to "achieve an immediate ceasefire", Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet has said on X about an hour ago.

    In an earlier post on Facebook, the Cambodian leader thanked Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for initiating and coordinating the meeting. Officials from the US and China will also attend the meeting, he wrote.

  13. Thai leader says Cambodia not acting 'in good faith'

    Thailand acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai walkingReuters

    Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has accused Cambodia of not acting "in good faith" as he left for peace talks in Malaysia.

    "We do not believe Cambodia is acting in good faith, based on their actions in addressing the issue," Phumtham told reporters at Bangkok airport as fighting at the two countries' border reached a fifth day.

    "They need to demonstrate genuine intent, and we will assess that during the meeting," he said.

    Cambodia had on Saturday called for an "immediate" ceasefire.

  14. Who is attending the peace talks?

    Malaysia's leader Anwar Ibrahim will chair the peace talks later today in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar, who is chair of Asean or the Association of South East Asian Nations, had proposed ceasefire talks soon after intense fighting broke out along the Thai-Cambodian border on Thursday.

    The Thai delegation will be led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet is expected to lead Phnom Penh's delegation.

    Officials from China and the US will also be present at the negotiations, AFP news agency reported.

    Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar IbrahimGetty Images

    Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

  15. What happened over the weekend

    Cambodia had on Saturday called for "immediate" ceasefire with Thailand and a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

    On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said he told Thailand's and Cambodia's leaders that negotiations to reduce tariffs would not proceed until the "fighting STOPS".

    The US president's ultimatum forced Bangkok's hand. Thailand, which had earlier refused any third-party mediation, has now accepted a mediation offer put forward by Malaysia - the current chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

    Leaders will now head to Kuala Lumpur for talks at 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT). The Thai delegation will be led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai while the Cambodian side will be led by Prime Minister Hun Manet.

    Thailand has reported 22 deaths - including 14 civilians - since fighting started on Thursday. Cambodia has not released a national casualty toll.

  16. Thailand and Cambodia due for peace talks

    The festering border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its fifth day today and the country's leaders are due to meet later in Malaysia for peace talks.

    The clashes have claimed dozens of lives. Heavy exchanges of fire have continued overnight, while Thailand and Cambodia continued to point fingers at each other for aggravating the dispute.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest.

    Cambodian migrant workers wait to cross a checkpoint in Thailand in droves on MondayGetty Images

    Cambodian migrant workers wait to cross a checkpoint in Thailand in droves on Monday