United States President Donald Trump will sign a peace treaty between Thailand and Cambodia immediately upon landing in Malaysia, the president announced while traveling aboard Air Force One. Trump has described the agreement as a “great peace deal” that he personally brokered between two Southeast Asian nations with a decades-long history of border disputes.
The peace deal comes after a serious escalation of tensions in July 2025, when Thai and Cambodian military forces engaged in five days of intense fighting along their disputed frontier. The clashes resulted in casualties on both sides and created a displacement crisis as thousands of civilians fled the violence, underscoring the critical need for international mediation to prevent further bloodshed.
Malaysia successfully intervened as a mediator and negotiated a ceasefire between the two nations, which was implemented in late July 2025. Since the truce took effect, the Malaysian government has coordinated ASEAN observer teams that continue to monitor the border areas and ensure both Thailand and Cambodia adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
President Trump’s visit to Malaysia will include participation in the 47th ASEAN summit and discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In his Truth Social announcement, Trump stated that the peace deal signing would occur immediately upon his arrival to accommodate the large number of international leaders attending this significant event. He also expressed condolences for the recent passing of Thailand’s Queen Mother and confirmed he would meet with Thailand’s Prime Minister shortly after landing. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ASEAN leaders will witness the signing ceremony.
The peace agreement addresses a territorial dispute spanning more than 800 kilometers of shared border between Cambodia and Thailand, including multiple non-demarcated areas. Recent diplomatic progress includes agreements reached during an October meeting of the Joint Commission in Chanthaburi, Thailand, where both nations committed to advancing boundary demarcation efforts. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has indicated that both countries are nearing completion of a Declaration of Thailand-Cambodia Relations designed to comprehensively resolve the border situation. The dispute has historically focused on ancient Hindu temple sites in the Dangrek Mountains, with previous violence in 2011 near Preah Vihear temple resulting in at least 16 deaths and UN Security Council involvement.