Thailand Assures US It Wants Peaceful Ties with Cambodia

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow conveyed Bangkok’s position during a phone call on Friday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, telling him that Thailand remains committed to resolving the dispute peacefully.

During the conversation, Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s willingness to play a constructive role in supporting peace efforts between the two Southeast Asian countries, as the United States steps up engagement amid mounting regional and humanitarian concerns.

The exchange came shortly before a planned phone call between Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and US President Donald Trump, underscoring growing US involvement at both diplomatic and leadership levels as international actors seek to prevent further escalation along the volatile frontier.

The diplomatic push follows a renewed flare-up in fighting along the Thailand–Cambodia border, where a long-standing territorial dispute rooted in colonial-era boundary demarcations has repeatedly triggered military confrontations.

Thailand disputes French-era maps that Cambodia views as binding, leaving areas like Preah Vihear poorly demarcated and prone to border tensions.

A US-backed ceasefire, brokered with Trump’s intervention and Malaysia’s mediation in October, temporarily eased tensions, but it has since collapsed amid renewed troop movements and mutual accusations of violations.

In recent days, clashes have intensified, with Thailand confirming air and artillery strikes along disputed sections of the border, and Cambodia has accused Bangkok of breaching international law and striking deeper into its territory.

The fighting has displaced many civilians and prompted mass evacuations, raising fears of regional escalation and prompting urgent diplomatic efforts by Washington, ASEAN, and neighbors.