Sisaket, Thailand — Despite bold declarations from US President Donald Trump and the looming threat of punishing tariffs, fierce fighting along the Cambodia–Thailand war border raged into its fourth day on Saturday, casting fresh doubt over American influence in Southeast Asia and raising alarms about a rapidly deteriorating regional security crisis.
The clashes, ignited by a deadly landmine explosion on July 24 that injured several Thai soldiers, have triggered a chain reaction of military escalations, with both nations accusing each other of launching artillery and rocket attacks. The violence has now killed at least 34 people, including women and children, and displaced upwards of 200,000 civilians in what observers are calling the most serious border conflict between the two countries in more than a decade.
In one of the most harrowing episodes, a Cambodian airstrike allegedly struck a petrol station in Thailand’s Sisaket province, killing a mother and her two children as they purchased snacks. Thai officials quickly retaliated with heavy artillery fire near the disputed Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples—both symbols of unresolved colonial-era boundary tensions.
Trump, in a surprise intervention, had attempted to insert himself as a broker of peace, issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to both nations on July 26. He threatened to impose 36% tariffs on their exports to the US and suspend trade negotiations if a ceasefire was not immediately agreed to. Cambodia, seeking to avoid further escalation, swiftly backed what it described as an “unconditional and immediate” ceasefire. Thailand, however, flatly rejected the overture, calling for “concrete de-escalation steps” from Phnom Penh before agreeing to any cessation of hostilities.
Thailand, however, declined to immediately endorse the ceasefire proposed by Cambodia, insisting that any cessation of hostilities must be based on what it called “sincere and verifiable commitments” from Phnom Penh. Thai officials emphasized the need for clear de-escalation steps, citing ongoing concerns over what they described as provocative actions by Cambodian forces along the border.
Political analysts suggest that Trump’s intervention may have been aimed as much at reinforcing his global image as at resolving the conflict. While his ceasefire proposal briefly shifted diplomatic attention, experts note that entrenched tensions between Cambodia and Thailand—rooted in decades of border disputes—require deeper regional diplomacy, not short-term pressure tactics.
As cross-border shelling continues, both nations have now taken drastic diplomatic steps. Thailand recalled its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia’s envoy from Bangkok. Meanwhile, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry accused Thailand of violating international norms and targeting civilian infrastructure.
With neither side willing to back down, ASEAN nations are scrambling to contain the fallout. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Saturday that emergency ceasefire talks will begin in Kuala Lumpur on July 28. “The credibility of ASEAN as a stabilizing force is at stake,” warned an official from the regional bloc who requested anonymity.
This conflict has also stoked fears of a broader humanitarian catastrophe. Thousands are now crammed into makeshift shelters along both sides of the border, many of them lacking food, clean water, and medical aid. Human rights groups have documented indiscriminate shelling and the use of banned cluster munitions in populated areas—claims both armies deny.
International condemnation is growing. The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency session, while China has called for “maximum restraint.” Yet, amid the cacophony of statements and summits, the artillery fire continues, underscoring the limits of diplomacy when nationalist agendas collide with geopolitical posturing.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump’s ceasefire gambit has thus far yielded little more than headlines. His tariff ultimatum, once touted as a power move to coerce de-escalation, has only deepened mistrust and hardened positions—particularly in Thailand, where the military government views the conflict as a sovereignty issue rather than a diplomatic misstep.
