THE leaders of Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday signed a historic peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur, ending months of deadly border clashes.
The agreement, known as the ‘Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord’, marks a major breakthrough in efforts to stabilise the region. It was signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet at a ceremony attended by regional and international leaders.
The deal facilitated by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and overseen by United States President Donald Trump.
“I also want to thank Anwar,” Trump said during the signing ceremony.
“I called him right at the beginning and said, ‘You have two countries fighting right next to you. We need a third place, a neutral place,’ and he was there. The prime minister played a very important role in helping to convene the two sides for discussions here in Kuala Lumpur.”
Trump praised the accord as a significant step towards lasting stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
“On behalf of the US, I am proud to have helped settle this conflict and to forge a future for the region where independent nations can prosper and thrive in safety, security, and peace,” he said.
The deal builds on a truce signed three months earlier and formalises an expanded ceasefire between the neighbouring countries. Both leaders hailed the agreement as a turning point for their border communities.
“This declaration, if fully implemented, will provide the building blocks for a lasting peace, but more importantly, it will begin the process of mending our ties,” Hun Manet said. “Our border communities have been divided by conflict, and innocent civilians have suffered immense losses.”
Anutin, who nearly missed the ceremony following the death of Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit on Friday, said Thailand and Cambodia would remove “heavy weapons from the border areas to ensure the safety of our people” and that Thailand would release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.
Trump was credited with helping broker an end to the five-day conflict in July by calling both nations’ leaders and urging them to halt hostilities or risk suspension of their trade negotiations with Washington.
“The United States will have a robust commerce and cooperation, transactions, lots of them, with both nations, as long as they live in peace,” Trump said.
The border clashes had killed at least 48 people and displaced an estimated 300,000 civilians in what was described as the worst fighting between the two countries in recent years.
Trump arrived in Malaysia earlier in the day for the ASEAN Summit, where he was greeted at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Anwar Ibrahim and a troupe of ceremonial dancers. The US leader briefly joined in a traditional performance before travelling with Anwar to the city for a series of meetings.
US - China Trade
On the sidelines of the summit, US and Chinese negotiators held talks aimed at easing tensions in the ongoing trade war.
Asked if rare earths were among the topics discussed, Reuters, on Sunday, cited top US trade negotiator Jamieson Greer saying a broad range of issues had been covered, including the extension of the current truce.
“I think that we’re getting to a spot where the leaders will have a very productive meeting,” Greer said.
Trump said during the peace ceremony that the US would soon sign critical minerals agreements with Thailand and Malaysia, while a broader trade deal with Cambodia was also under discussion.
Later on Sunday, Trump was scheduled to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss US tariffs, which Lula criticised as a “mistake,” citing a US$410 billion trade surplus in favour of the United States over 15 years. Trump indicated he was open to reviewing the tariffs.
A meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was not expected after trade talks between Washington and Ottawa broke down. Trump said on Saturday that tariffs on Canadian goods would be increased by an additional 10 per cent.
The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, however, stood as the centrepiece of the weekend’s diplomacy — a rare moment of consensus that underscored Southeast Asia’s growing role in shaping global peace and trade. - October 26, 2025
