Thailand and Cambodia announced a ceasefire on Saturday December 27, after 20 days of intense artillery duels and clashes that killed more than 100 people and forced over half a million civilians from their homes.

The agreement, signed by Thai Defense Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit and his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha, took effect at noon local time (05:00 GMT).

RELATED: ASEAN Holds Talks on Thailand–Cambodia Fighting

A joint statement committed both nations to an immediate halt to all hostilities involving “all types of weapons” and a freeze on current troop deployments.

However, reports from the ground underscored the deal’s fragility. A correspondent for the Qatari outlet Al Jazeera noted that “guns have fallen silent,” but described “really, really intense” firing that continued right up until the ceasefire moment.

“That doesn’t instil a great deal of confidence in people here who want to return home and will be watching if this ceasefire will hold,” he said.

The spokesperson for Thailand’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in June—during five days of border clashes that left around fifty dead—”will be released when hostility ceases, in accordance with international norms and practices.”

សេចក្ដីថ្លែងការណ៍រួម នៃកិច្ចប្រជុំពិសេសគណៈកម្មាធិការព្រំដែនទូទៅ (GBC) លើកទី៣ រវាងព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា និងព្រះរាជាណាចក្រថៃ… pic.twitter.com/jYgk9EbCTO

— Samdech Thipadei HUN MANET (@Dr_Hunmanet_PM) December 27, 2025

Key Terms and Mechanisms

The deal includes several confidence-building measures:

• Prisoner Return: Thailand has agreed to repatriate 18 captured Cambodian soldiers 72 hours after the ceasefire is “fully maintained.”
• De-escalation Pledge: Both sides vowed to refrain from “provocative actions” and avoid “disseminating false information.”
• Third-Party Oversight: Implementation will be monitored by an observer team from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
• Open Channels: The countries agreed to maintain direct communication to resolve any emergent issues.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.