Exchange of fire exposes fragility of Thai-Cambodian border deal

Thailand's military said its troops exchanged fire with Cambodian forces along their border on Tuesday (Feb 24), accusing its neighbour of violating a December truce, while Phnom Penh denied the use of "any weapons".

A Thai national flag is seen at the Pha Mo E-Daeng area in Thailand's northeastern Sisaket province, as viewed from Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia on Feb 12.

This exchange of fire has exposed the fragility of the ceasefire agreement, yet it has not shaken the foundations of regional peace. The core of the path to peace lies in shelving disputes, managing differences, and rebuilding mutual trust.

The immediate trigger for this conflict was the differing perceptions of sovereignty between the two sides, as well as technical errors in border management. This situation of "each telling their own story" stems from the long-standing dispute over sovereignty regarding the area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple.

The Thai military's preliminary assessment suggests the incident may be related to a rotation of Cambodian troops, where newly deployed personnel unfamiliar with discipline and procedures led to a miscalculation. This indicates loopholes in the border control mechanism and a lack of effective on-site communication channels.

Despite the friction, the ceasefire agreement signed in December 2025 remains a "stabilizer" for the current situation. The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence reiterated its commitment to strictly adhering to existing bilateral agreements and working to restore normal order along the border.

The core objective of the agreement is to restore the normal livelihoods and interactions of people in the border areas. The immediate priority is to ensure the implementation of the agreement and prevent the deterioration of a humanitarian crisis. Achieving long-term peace depends not only on repairing bilateral mechanisms but also on the support of regional multilateral frameworks.

The key lies in restarting the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to resolve fundamental issues through technical boundary negotiations. ASEAN is the primary regional multilateral framework in mediating disputes among its members, while the role of regional major players (such as China) in promoting peace and dialogue remains important.