The White House on Friday portrayed renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia as a conflict on the brink of resolution, with U.S. President Donald Trump claiming credit for restoring a ceasefire. Yet official responses from both Southeast Asian nations suggested the situation on the ground remains volatile, raising questions about the effectiveness of US-led mediation.

White House Declares Progress

Trump announced the supposed breakthrough following separate conversations with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. In a social media statement, he said both leaders had agreed to stop all military fire and return to a peace framework negotiated earlier this year with support from Malaysia.

The president framed the development as a major diplomatic step that averted a potentially wider regional conflict.

Military Activity Continues

Within hours of Trump’s announcement, Thailand’s foreign ministry challenged the claim that a ceasefire had been finalized. Defense officials in Bangkok said exchanges of fire were still taking place, while Cambodia accused Thai forces of launching fresh strikes overnight. Independent verification of the reports was not immediately possible.

The conflicting narratives underscored the fragile and contested nature of any truce.

Bangkok Rejects US Framing

Thai Prime Minister Anutin publicly distanced his government from Trump’s account, saying Thailand would maintain military pressure until Cambodia no longer posed a threat to Thai territory. He said he urged Trump to demand concrete steps from Phnom Penh, including troop withdrawals and the removal of land mines, before declaring an end to fighting.

Anutin also dismissed Trump’s suggestion that recent explosions near the border were accidental, insisting they constituted hostile acts that justified continued operations.

Regional Mediation Under Strain

Malaysia, which played a key role in brokering the original ceasefire in July, has again been positioned as a central mediator. That earlier agreement, strengthened by US diplomatic and trade pressure, was later formalized at a regional summit in October.

Despite those efforts, neither side fully disengaged, and low-level confrontations persisted, eventually escalating into the latest round of violence.

Border Dispute Fuels Escalation

At the heart of the conflict is a century-old territorial disagreement rooted in colonial-era mapping and reinforced by a 1962 international court ruling favoring Cambodia. The issue remains politically sensitive and militarily combustible.

Recent fighting has included Thai airstrikes and Cambodian rocket fire, with damage reported in civilian areas and multiple military casualties acknowledged by Thai authorities.

Trump Highlights Diplomatic Record

Trump has repeatedly cited the Thai–Cambodian standoff as evidence of his administration’s success in resolving global conflicts since returning to office. Speaking later at the White House, he said the situation had been “straightened out,” even as officials in the region signaled that stability remains far from assured.