Trump announced he would make a phone call to end the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
On December 10, Thailand and Cambodia continued to accuse each other of attacks on civilians in the border region. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced he would make a phone call to stop the fighting and salvage the ceasefire he had brokered in July.
According to Reuters, speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania on the evening of December 9th (US time), Trump listed the wars he claimed to have helped prevent. Referring to the situation in Southeast Asia, he said: "Tomorrow, I'm going to have to make a phone call. Who else but me can say that I'm going to make a phone call to stop a war between two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?"
The reactions from the two countries are differing. Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said Phnom Penh's position remains unchanged: a desire for peace. A senior adviser to Prime Minister Hun Manet also told Reuters that the country is "ready to negotiate at any time."
Meanwhile, in an interview on December 9, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow stated that he saw no potential for negotiations at this time. He argued that the current situation was not conducive to third-party mediation and stressed that tariff threats should not be used to pressure Thailand into negotiating.
Escalating tensions led Cambodia to officially withdraw its athletes from the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) being held in Thailand on December 10th, citing safety concerns and serious worries from the athletes' families.
On the ground, both sides issued statements about military activity. The Thai military said that Cambodian forces' BM-21 rocket launchers had fallen near Phanom Dong Rak Hospital in Surin district on the morning of December 10, forcing the evacuation of patients and staff. Thailand also accused the other side of using drones, BM-21 rockets, and tanks at other border points, including the Preah Vihear temple area. The Thai military confirmed destroying an anti-drone position near Chong Chom to support the operation to clear Cambodian elements at a mango plantation within the operational area.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense accused Thailand of using artillery and armed drones to attack Pursat province, and firing mortars at residential areas in Battambang province. Cambodia also accused Thai F-16 fighter jets of violating its airspace and bombing near civilian areas.
As of the evening of December 9th, the casualty figures released by the parties involved were as follows: Cambodia had 9 civilians killed and 20 seriously injured since December 8th; Thailand had 4 soldiers killed and 68 injured.
Tensions between the two countries flared up again last month after Thailand suspended de-escalation measures. This stemmed from an incident in which a Thai soldier was injured by a landmine that Bangkok claimed had been recently planted by Cambodia – an accusation Phnom Penh denies. Both countries said they had evacuated hundreds of thousands of people from the border region.
