No ceasefire agreement at ASEAN meeting, GBC set for Dec 24, says Thai FM

On Monday, December 22, 2025, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow briefed the press after the ASEAN special foreign ministers' meeting on the Thailand-Cambodia situation, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The two-hour meeting, which started around 12.00pm local time, concluded without an agreement on a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.

Sihasak emphasised that for the Kuala Lumpur Peace Declaration to be followed, a ceasefire must first be implemented. Thailand insisted that Cambodia must accept three conditions:

• Cambodia must be the first to declare a ceasefire, as the aggressor.
• The ceasefire must be real and continuous.
• Cambodia must show sincerity in cooperating with Thailand, particularly in clearing landmines, a matter Thailand cannot accept until resolved jointly.

Sihasak told the press, expressing gratitude to the Malaysian government as the host and reaffirming Thailand's support for discussions under the ASEAN framework, as this is an issue that should be addressed at the regional level, reflecting the principle of ASEAN centrality. 

He explained that Thailand has always had good intentions towards Cambodia, providing support and assistance during the civil war, including opening the border to accommodate refugees, offering shelter, and supporting economic recovery. This reflects Thailand's commitment to peaceful coexistence with its neighbour.

Since the onset of the conflict during the previous government, Thailand has consistently sought to resolve the issue through bilateral discussions. However, Cambodia has attempted to bring the matter to the international stage, particularly under the framework of the United Nations, instead of engaging in direct talks.

Additionally, a conversation tape from the discussions was released, which Thailand views as unhelpful in resolving the issue and potentially undermining trust between the two countries. This action is seen as a violation of ASEAN's principle of non-interference in domestic affairs.

Although both sides later discussed a ceasefire and held a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, resulting in a joint statement as a pathway to peace, the Foreign Minister stressed that peace can only be achieved through real implementation.

All the terms in the joint statement are equally important, including weapon reduction, landmine clearance, addressing border crimes and online scams, and managing incursions. Particularly concerning is the issue of landmine clearance, which has already affected Thai soldiers multiple times.

After the signing of the joint statement, a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine for the seventh time, which is seen as a breach of the agreement. The Thai public demands a clear explanation from Cambodia. This incident has heightened tensions along the border and led to clashes.

The Foreign Minister stated that the purpose of the meeting was not to exchange accusations but to discuss how to move forward.

While Cambodia has mentioned a ceasefire in various forums, there has been no concrete discussion with Thailand on how the ceasefire would be implemented. A ceasefire requires clear agreements on both measures and mechanisms for verification.

The meeting agreed that a ceasefire cannot result from a unilateral declaration but must be negotiated and agreed upon by both sides' military forces. 

Cambodia has proposed a General Border Committee (GBC) meeting on December 24 to review measures under the current situation, including determining who will be responsible for monitoring and ensuring clear actions to make the ceasefire truly effective. 

This would mark the beginning of returning to the implementation of the joint statement made in Kuala Lumpur.