In a spectacle that blended diplomacy, ceremony, and high-stakes trade, United States President Donald Trump presided over the signing of a much-anticipated ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia on October 26, 2025. The event, held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, drew global attention—not just for its promise of peace, but also for the political theater and economic deals that accompanied it.
Trump, flanked by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, declared, "This is a momentous day for all of the people of Southeast Asia, as we sign a historic agreement to end the military conflict between Cambodia and Thailand." According to AFP, the agreement builds on a truce reached in July 2025 after five days of fierce border fighting that left more than 40 dead and forced 300,000 people to flee their homes.
The ceasefire, which Trump dubbed the "Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord," includes a withdrawal of heavy weapons from the disputed border, the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers held by Thailand, and the removal of landmines from the region. Malaysian troops are to be deployed to ensure the fighting does not reignite, and an interim observer team—organized by ASEAN—will monitor the fragile peace. Both sides also agreed to establish a joint taskforce to address the proliferation of scam centers and to replace missing border markers with temporary ones, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Yet, for all the fanfare, the core issues remain. The 800-kilometer (500-mile) border between Thailand and Cambodia has been a source of contention for decades, stemming from a vaguely defined French treaty dating back to 1907. Disputes over territory near Laos and several ancient temples from the Angkor Empire have repeatedly sparked conflict. As Sebastian Strangio, author and Southeast Asia editor for The Diplomat, told Al Jazeera, "They were never going to address the fundamental question, which is the disagreement on the demarcation of the border and disputes over specific territories." Strangio added, "This was always going to be a hastily assembled deal to give Trump his political theatre and his ceremony. It was never going to be more than an elaborate version of the ceasefire deal they signed on July 28."
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow echoed this cautious optimism, refusing to call it a peace agreement and instead describing it as a "pathway to peace." He emphasized that the agreement reinforced previous commitments rather than resolving the dispute outright. "The devil is going to be in the details of this agreement," noted Tony Cheng, reporting for Al Jazeera from the Thai border province of Sa Kaeo. Local residents, he reported, have welcomed any steps toward peace but remain wary, continuing to build bomb shelters and prepare for the possibility of renewed violence.
The ceasefire comes after US threats of higher tariffs helped push both countries to the negotiating table in July. Trump has not been shy about taking credit, recalling how he interrupted a visit to his Turnberry golf course in Scotland to intervene. "And I said this is much more important than a round of golf... I could have had a lot of fun, but this is much more fun... saving people and saving countries," he remarked at the ceremony, according to the BBC.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet was effusive in his praise, reminding Trump that his government had nominated the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize. Thailand, however, has been more circumspect. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul faces nationalist pressures at home and has insisted that the dispute should ultimately be resolved bilaterally, without outside mediation—a stance Cambodia does not share, having previously referred the matter to the International Court of Justice.
While the cameras captured handshakes and smiles, the reality on the ground is less settled. Sporadic violence has continued in the border region since the July truce, and Malaysian troops have yet to deploy as initially promised. The agreement's success hinges on the willingness of both sides to honor its terms and on the practicalities of removing landmines and restoring normalcy to affected communities.
Amid the diplomatic wrangling, Trump also announced a suite of trade deals with Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. The economic commitments are substantial: Thailand pledged to buy $2.6 billion a year in US farm products, $5.4 billion in US energy products, and 80 US aircraft worth $18.8 billion. Cambodia agreed to cooperate with Boeing to develop its aviation ecosystem, while Malaysia committed to purchasing up to $3.4 billion a year in liquefied natural gas, $200 million in coal and telecommunication products, and 30 US aircraft with an option for 30 more. Malaysia also promised $70 billion in capital fund investments in the US and agreed not to restrict exports of critical minerals or rare earth magnets to US companies, according to the White House.
However, these deals have not come without controversy. US tariffs on the three Southeast Asian countries remain at 19 percent, a significant reduction from the 48 percent initially threatened but still a major concern for the export-dependent ASEAN region. Shiro Armstrong, a professor at Australian National University, criticized the deals as undermining "ASEAN unity and the principle of equal treatment," telling Al Jazeera, "That means this deal was a very expensive one for a photo op. It’s difficult to understand what Malaysia gets from this and what they were thinking."
Trump’s six-day Asia trip is set to continue with stops in Japan—where he will meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi—and South Korea, culminating in a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Seoul on October 30, 2025. The visit is seen as an opportunity for Trump to reset relations with China and reaffirm US influence in the region.
Despite the grandeur of the signing ceremony and the economic windfall for US exporters, the underlying tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border remain. As history has shown, peace agreements in this region are often fragile, and the real test will come in the weeks and months ahead as both sides attempt to implement the terms and build trust. For now, the world watches, hopeful yet wary, as Southeast Asia takes another tentative step toward stability.
