Thailand and Cambodia are closing in on a border de-escalation pact to be signed at this week’s ASEAN Summit, with officials from both sides reporting major progress on weapons pullback, mine clearance, and cross-border crime cooperation.

The move follows months of talks in Malaysia and aims to lock in July’s ceasefire after the deadliest clashes in over a decade.

Terms On The Table

Thailand’s foreign minister said negotiators have aligned on withdrawing “heavy and destructive weapons” from frontier areas and on launching joint demining operations, while coordinating a crackdown on transnational scam gangs operating from Cambodian territory.

Leaders And Timeline

“If everything proceeds smoothly, the signing of the declaration on Thai–Cambodian relations between the two prime ministers will take place on October 25,” the minister said, adding the ceremony would be witnessed by the U.S. president and Malaysia’s prime minister.

Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim told parliament the signing “will be witnessed by me and US President Donald Trump,” pending a final round of approvals.

How We Got Here

Fighting flared in late July after long-running disputes along the 817-km frontier, prompting Malaysia-brokered talks that produced an unconditional ceasefire on July 28.

The new declaration is meant to convert that truce into a structured drawdown with clear timelines and monitoring.

The Preah Vihear Factor

Border friction has long centered on areas around the Temple of Preah Vihear, where the International Court of Justice confirmed in 2013 that Cambodia holds sovereignty over the temple promontory and obliged Thailand to withdraw its forces from that zone.

The upcoming pact does not settle all demarcation, but it seeks to prevent new flashpoints while technical teams continue boundary work.

Crime And Demining Push

The declaration’s action plan is expected to include joint mine-action and synchronized operations against call-center fraud syndicates that have trapped foreign workers and targeted Thai victims.

Cambodian authorities have stepped up raids this year, arresting thousands as regional pressure mounted.