ANWAR, TRUMP WITNESS SIGNING OF THAILAND-CAMBODIA PEACE DEAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Thailand and Cambodia today signed a joint declaration on a peace deal dubbed “KL Peace Accord”, marking a formal step toward halting hostilities and restoring peace along their disputed border.

The agreement was signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet, on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, which began today.

The signing was witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, and United States President Donald Trump.

The declaration reinforces the ceasefire understanding reached in July following talks between the two countries.

It also formalises the establishment of an ASEAN Observer Team to monitor compliance and prevent renewed clashes in the border zones.

The peace deal marks a milestone in ASEAN’s regional diplomacy, reflecting the bloc’s commitment to conflict prevention, stability and cooperation under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship, with its theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.

Thailand and Cambodia have long been in dispute over their 817-kilometre border, with recent tensions flaring into a military confrontation on July 24.

On July 28,  Anwar hosted a high-stakes meeting in Putrajaya between Manet and then Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, successfully defusing tensions along the two countries’ shared border.

The ceasefire, widely seen as a major ASEAN achievement, prevented a broader military escalation and ensured the safety of thousands of civilians.

Malaysia, as this year’s ASEAN Chair, is hosting the 47th ASEAN Summit from Oct 26 to 28 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the withdrawal of heavy weapons by Thailand and Cambodia from border areas, as well as the removal and destruction of explosives or landmines, are among the key elements in the ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

He said the deal will also include the establishment of an ASEAN Observer Team to monitor the situation in the conflict-affected border region.

The initiative, according to Mohamad, aims to preserve the ceasefire that has been in place since July, following the agreement by both the Cambodian and Thai prime ministers at the time to halt hostilities.

“We want to ensure there are no further violations of the ceasefire. Since July 28, although the ceasefire has been implemented, there have been minor breaches — not involving firearms, but using slingshots,” he said.

Mohamad said ASEAN hopes the ceasefire will hold and called on both countries to continue dialogue and work towards a peaceful resolution of their border demarcation issue.

-- BERNAMA