THAILAND’S Royal Army has confirmed that four additional soldiers have died in renewed clashes along the border with Cambodia, bringing the total military fatalities since the conflict erupted on 8 December 2025 to 21, according to The Nation.
In a statement, the army said the latest deaths occurred during multiple engagements in the volatile border region.
It paid its highest respects to all personnel who have fallen while defending national sovereignty and assured that comprehensive welfare support, including financial aid and long-term assistance, would be provided to the families of the deceased.
The armed conflict along the Thailand–Cambodia border, which reignited in early December, continues to raise regional concerns, with fighting reported at several strategically significant locations.
Meanwhile, both Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to attend a special ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting on 22 December in Kuala Lumpur, aimed at preventing further escalation along the disputed border, said Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The meeting had originally been scheduled for 16 December but was postponed after other ASEAN leaders expressed concerns that it would be held too soon.
“Most prime ministers alerted me, saying that probably it is too soon to hold a meeting before tensions can ease.
“So, they proposed for it to be on 22 December in KL. My understanding is that the foreign ministers will come and deliberate on this,” ANN reported Anwar explaining during a briefing with editors-in-chief at Seri Perdana on 17 December.
Anwar emphasised that the meeting aims to persuade Thailand and Cambodia to halt offensive actions along the contested borders.
“We are appealing to them to immediately stop this front-line offensive, and if possible, an immediate ceasefire. They don’t like the term ceasefire because it will connote their agreement. So, if you look at my statement, I urge the parties to observe this truce,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that Malaysia is not in a position to instruct ASEAN foreign ministers but is maintaining daily communications with them.
The decision to convene the meeting followed discussions with US President Donald Trump, who had called to urge that both sides halt their offensive operations.
Anwar confirmed that Thailand and Cambodia have consented to the deployment of the ASEAN Observers Team, and that Malaysia’s Chief of Defence Force will visit the border in the coming days to continue military-level engagement.
“I am cautiously optimistic because when I spoke to both prime ministers, both were keen to achieve an amicable resolution as soon as possible. So, hopefully, by 22 December, we can seal this understanding,” he said.
Despite having signed the KL Peace Accord in October, Thailand and Cambodia remain engaged in renewed border skirmishes.
The peace accord was suspended by Thailand in November after its soldiers were injured by landmines along the frontier. - December 18, 2025
