President Donald Trump presided over the signing of an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia aimed at resolving their border dispute, advancing a ceasefire he played a role in brokering. This move is part of his efforts to strengthen his push for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet joined Trump at the formal ceremony in Malaysia, the host of a regional summit that facilitated dialogue between the two Southeast Asian nations.
“This is such an exciting achievement, because many said it couldn’t be accomplished, and we may have saved millions of lives,” Trump remarked.
The agreement, dubbed the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords” by Trump, also includes the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war and the deployment of observers from Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, to help maintain the ceasefire.
Trump highlighted that the U.S. would pursue “a major trade deal with Cambodia and a critical minerals agreement with Thailand,” though specific details were not disclosed.
The recent border conflict, which resulted in over 40 deaths and thousands displaced, was brought to an end with a fragile ceasefire in July after Trump threatened to halt trade deals unless the fighting stopped. Diplomatic tensions remain, with both nations accusing each other of provoking the conflict, and questions persist about whether Sunday’s ceremony constitutes a formal peace treaty or merely a declaration. Last week, Trump urged Thai Prime Minister Anutin to pursue peaceful resolution, and Thailand has indicated that the U.S. has used the conflict as leverage during trade negotiations.
There has been some disagreement about the wording and significance of the agreement. While Trump has described it as a “peace deal,” Thailand refers to it as a “declaration” focused on border issues.
Cambodia has shown openness to Trump’s mediation efforts and even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Meanwhile, Thailand, which has a stronger military alliance with the U.S., has been more cautious, demanding that Cambodia meet four conditions—troop withdrawal, landmine removal, cracking down on cyber scams, and resettling citizens allegedly encroaching on Thai territory—before fully trusting the peace process.
Trump asserts that he has ended eight wars since returning to office in January and has publicly claimed he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
A Thai government spokesperson noted that resolving the border conflict had become a critical element of recent trade negotiations, during which the U.S. imposed a 19% tariff on goods from both countries.
Earlier on Sunday, the ceremony was moved following the death of Thai Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother and wife of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away at age 93 last Friday. Trump expressed his condolences to Prime Minister Anutin, stating, “Today, we honor her memory by bringing the blessing of peace to the nation she loved so dearly.”