KUALA LUMPUR/PHNOM PENH: Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Thursday to extend a shaky ceasefire deal that followed five days of deadly hostilities along their border last month.

At least 43 people were killed in the conflict that ended on Tuesday last week after a long-standing dispute over border temples erupted into violence. A truce was brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — chair of the Asean regional bloc — after cajoling by US President Donald Trump and a team of Chinese mediators.

The deal dictated a ceasefire, followed by a meeting of rival regional commanders, before defence officials held three days of talks in Kuala Lumpur that concluded with a joint statement on Thursday. “Both sides agree to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians and civilian objects and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas,” it said. “This agreement must not be violated under any circumstances.” Both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other during the first days of the truce of breaching the deal, with limited skirmishes along their shared 800-kilometre (500-mile) border, although clashes quickly dropped off.

Cambodian PM nominates US president for Nobel Peace Prize

Trump nominated for Nobel

Cambodia’s prime minister said he nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday, crediting the US president with “visionary and innovative diplomacy” that ended border clashes with Thailand.

A letter from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee said he wished to nominate Trump “in recognition of his historic contributions in advancing world peace”.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2025