By Gabriele Steinhauser

The defense ministers of Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday signed a cease-fire meant to end three weeks of deadly fighting along their disputed border.

The truce went into effect at noon local time, and initial reports from settlements along the 500-mile border suggested that clashes had indeed stopped.

At least 22 civilians -- 21 in Cambodia and one in Thailand -- have been killed since an earlier cease-fire brokered in July by President Trump collapsed on Dec. 8. The Thai government says 25 of its soldiers have been killed, while Cambodia hasn't disclosed military casualties.

The two bouts of fighting this year have been the deadliest on record in the century-old border dispute between the two Southeast Asian countries, and have involved the use of airstrikes, heavy artillery, drones and other weapons. Each side has accused the other of attacking civilian areas and cultural and religious sites. Around 100 people, many of them civilians, were killed during the clashes in July, according to officials from both countries.

It was unclear from the text of Saturday's truce agreement whether it would lead to a permanent end to the conflict. Under the deal, both sides agreed to halt any movement of troops but didn't say whether there were plans for a withdrawal of forces from the border area.

Still, it said that civilians should be able to return to their homes. More than 700,000 people on both sides of the border had fled their towns and villages this month, according to Thai and Cambodian officials.

Thailand agreed to release 18 Cambodian prisoners of war it has held since July, provided the cease-fire held for the first 72 hours, and both countries said they would work together to remove mines from the border area.

Write to Gabriele Steinhauser at Gabriele.Steinhauser@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 27, 2025 02:43 ET (07:43 GMT)

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