Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has entered a third consecutive day, intensifying a conflict that has already forced mass evacuations and caused dozens of civilian and military casualties on both sides. As the border clashes worsened, US President Donald Trump said he planned to intervene by phone, claiming he had previously halted wars in regions ranging from South Asia to the Middle East and had already brokered a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia in July.
Thailand’s foreign minister signalled on Tuesday that negotiations were unlikely anytime soon, saying the environment was not conducive to diplomacy and that the situation did not favour third-party mediation. Cambodia, however, insisted it remained open to talks, with a senior adviser to Prime Minister Hun Manet telling Reuters that Phnom Penh was “ready to talk at any time.”
At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump referenced several conflicts he claimed to have helped stop before turning to the current Southeast Asian confrontation. He said he expected to make phone calls “tomorrow” to halt the fighting between what he described as two powerful nations.
The latest escalation follows months of tension along the disputed border. In July, Trump brokered a fragile ceasefire after five days of intense clashes that killed at least 48 people. That truce began to unravel when Thailand suspended de-escalation measures agreed at an October summit attended by Trump. Bangkok accused Cambodia of newly laying landmines after a Thai soldier was severely injured, an accusation Cambodia denies.
Both countries report large-scale evacuations. Cambodian officials say hundreds of thousands have fled border areas and reported nine civilian deaths and 20 serious injuries since Monday. Thailand has confirmed four soldiers killed and 68 injured. Thai military leaders have stated their goal is to severely weaken Cambodia’s capacity to conduct attacks, with one general saying the aim was to “cripple Cambodia’s military capability for a long time to come.”
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said its forces were acting defensively and accused Thailand of indiscriminately shelling civilian neighbourhoods. Thailand rejected those allegations, blaming Cambodia for inflaming the situation.
With both sides trading accusations and preparing for a prolonged confrontation, the region faces a dangerous escalation. Whether Trump’s intervention will have any impact on de-escalation remains uncertain, as diplomatic space narrows and military commitments deepen along the border.
