PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held separate telephone discussions with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet and Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to discuss the latest developments surrounding the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the ongoing operations of the Interim Observer Team (IOT).
Anwar, in a Facebook post, said the calls also touched on strengthening the monitoring mechanisms along the shared border, where the IOT has been deployed to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.
“We also discussed further steps that can be taken to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring operations by the IOT,” he said.
The IOT, led by Malaysia, plays a key role in monitoring the transparency of the ceasefire along the Thailand-Cambodia border. On Tuesday, Chief of Defence Forces General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar said the team is tasked with conducting investigations and will report its findings to both nations.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an unconditional ceasefire on 28 July following a special meeting hosted by Anwar in Putrajaya. During that meeting, Hun Manet and Phumtham also agreed to convene a General Border Committee (GBC) meeting as part of the implementation framework for the ceasefire.
In a separate post, Anwar said his discussion with Phumtham also focused on IOT’s ongoing surveillance efforts and potential enhancements.
“We emphasised the importance of the IOT's close monitoring at the border, and explored additional measures to strengthen ceasefire monitoring operations. We also discussed the upcoming GBC meeting between Thailand and Cambodia, scheduled for next month,” said the Prime Minister.
Both Cambodia and Thailand have sought Malaysia’s continued support as ASEAN Chair to accelerate the implementation and oversight of the ceasefire agreement to ensure lasting peace along their border.
Hun Manet confirmed that he contacted Anwar to expedite the deployment of key mechanisms. “I had a phone call with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the progress of the ceasefire implementation.
“We discussed the urgent need to establish the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) and the operationalisation of the Interim Observer Team (IOT). Both are vital mechanisms to monitor the ceasefire effectively,” Hun Manet said in a Facebook post.
Phumtham, in a separate statement, also reaffirmed Thailand’s support for the IOT’s role in sustaining peace at the border.
“I reiterated Thailand’s expectation that the IOT, which has just commenced operations, functions in line with the principles and framework agreed at the Extraordinary GBC Meeting on 7 August. I also proposed that the upcoming GBC meeting, scheduled next month, review the IOT’s operations if necessary,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to Anwar and Malaysia for their instrumental role in steering the dialogue and supporting Thailand’s peaceful approach to resolving the dispute through bilateral engagement.
The ceasefire was brokered after five days of intense border conflict, with support from both the United States and China, who had called for a swift resolution to the dispute for the sake of regional security.
Cambodian and Thai officials attended the GBC meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 7 August, followed by a regional border committee meeting involving senior military officials in Trat province, Thailand, last Saturday.
Efforts are now underway to secure a more permanent ceasefire following disputes over unmarked territory along the shared frontier.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence reported on Tuesday that the security situation along the frontier remains stable.
“The situation across the front-line areas, covering Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey provinces, remains calm and under firm control by our forces,” said ministry spokesperson Lt Gen Maly Socheata. - August 20, 2025
