As the 47th ASEAN Summit approaches, all eyes are on Kuala Lumpur, where a high-stakes diplomatic effort is underway to end one of Southeast Asia’s most dangerous recent conflicts. Malaysia and the United States are stepping up as facilitators, hoping to broker a landmark ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia—an accord that could be signed as early as October 26, 2025, during the summit’s opening day.
The backdrop to this initiative is grim. In late July 2025, a five-day eruption of violence along the 817-kilometer Thailand-Cambodia border left at least 48 people dead and displaced more than 260,000, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. It was the worst flare-up in over a decade, rooted in long-standing disputes over undemarcated border zones. The fighting only stopped after a frantic round of shuttle diplomacy led by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly threatening to revoke trade privileges for both countries unless they agreed to a truce.
With the initial ceasefire holding, but tensions simmering beneath the surface, the focus has now shifted to making peace stick. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has been at the center of these efforts. Speaking at a Concorde Club meeting on October 14, Hasan expressed hope that the so-called Kuala Lumpur Declaration—or Kuala Lumpur Accord—would be finalized and signed at the summit. "We want the violence to stop and for it (the ceasefire) to be overseen by an ASEAN Observers Team," he told journalists, according to Bernama. "We are proposing that Malaysia and the United States act as facilitators to oversee a broader ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia."
The terms of the proposed deal are ambitious. Both sides would be required to remove all landmines from the disputed border and withdraw heavy artillery and war machinery. "These are among the terms, and we hope both sides can agree to this during the ASEAN Summit. If possible, we are hoping for the KL Accords or KL Declaration to be signed to ensure that these neighboring countries can be at peace," Hasan said. The United States, for its part, is expected to play a hands-on role, with President Trump scheduled to attend the summit and "looking forward for the Thai-Cambodia ceasefire agreement to be signed," according to Hasan.
But the path to peace remains fraught. Just a month after the ceasefire, in August, Thai soldiers were injured by landmines while patrolling a buffer zone—prompting Thailand to accuse Cambodia of violating the truce by laying new mines. Cambodia has strongly denied these allegations. The episode reignited distrust and underscored the fragility of the situation. In response, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has laid out four non-negotiable conditions for further talks: removal of heavy weapons from the border, comprehensive landmine clearance, assistance in curbing cross-border crime, and joint management of sensitive border zones to prevent future flare-ups.
Negotiations have continued in earnest. On October 12, a four-party consultation took place in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together senior officials from Malaysia, the United States, Thailand, and Cambodia. The discussions, chaired by Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, focused on hammering out the details of the expanded ceasefire agreement. According to AP, the aim is to ensure that landmine clearance and withdrawal of heavy weapons are explicitly included in the final document.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. The ASEAN Summit, scheduled from October 26 to 28, is set to draw about two dozen world leaders, including representatives from all ten ASEAN member states—Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore—as well as major partners such as China, Japan, and Russia. Security preparations in Kuala Lumpur are extensive, with 16,000 police officers deployed to safeguard the event and its high-profile attendees.
For Malaysia, the summit is more than just a diplomatic showcase. As this year’s ASEAN chair, Kuala Lumpur is eager to demonstrate its ability to resolve regional disputes and project stability. "The police will not take matters of security lightly, because many world leaders will be attending. So, I am asking for public cooperation to ensure Malaysia’s success as the ASEAN chair this year," Foreign Minister Hasan emphasized, according to Bernama.
Observers note that the involvement of both Malaysia and the United States as facilitators is a significant development. The U.S. has long been a key trading partner and security ally in the region, and its willingness to apply economic pressure was instrumental in bringing Thailand and Cambodia to the negotiating table in July. The presence of President Trump at the summit is expected to add diplomatic weight to the proceedings, with both sides keenly aware that their international standing and economic prospects are on the line.
Yet, as the summit nears, questions remain. Can the parties overcome the deep-seated mistrust that has fueled decades of border disputes? Will the Kuala Lumpur Accord succeed where previous agreements have faltered? And can ASEAN, often criticized for its consensus-driven and sometimes slow-moving diplomacy, deliver a breakthrough at a time when regional security is under the global spotlight?
The international community is watching closely. A successful agreement would not only bring relief to the tens of thousands still displaced by the July fighting, but also set a precedent for conflict resolution in a region where border disputes are all too common. As Malaysia’s foreign minister put it, "We are hoping for the KL Accords or KL Declaration to be signed to ensure that these neighboring countries can be at peace." The coming days in Kuala Lumpur will reveal whether that hope can become reality.
As the summit’s opening date approaches, anticipation and anxiety mingle in equal measure. The world will soon learn whether Southeast Asia’s leaders can seize this moment and turn a fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace.