Cambodia eyes ‘historic moment’ with Trump over Thailand peace

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia is ready to sign a peace deal with Thailand coordinated by US President Donald Trump, according to an official from the South-east Asian nation, leaning into the US leader’s desire to be seen as a global peacemaker. 

“Right now, from the Cambodia side, we are ready at any time,” Mr Suos Yara, a spokesman for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said in an interview on Oct 15. 

Mr Trump has pushed for a peace deal ahead of an expected trip later in October to Malaysia for the Asean summit, where the Thai and Cambodian leaders will also be present. The Asean meeting comes on the heels of

a ceasefire Mr Trump helped broker between Israel and Hamas,

and as he touts his success in mediating several conflicts.

The hope now is “coming with something to call a historic moment when the President will attend the Asean summit”, Mr Suos Yara said.

While Cambodia has been amenable to Mr Trump’s efforts to mediate – and

nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending a recent border clash

– Thailand has resisted outside intervention. 

“We have to wait for the Thailand side,” Mr Suos Yara said. 

The neighbours faced off over a

five-day clash

along their border earlier in 2025, which left more than 40 people dead and thousands displaced. The two sides reached a fragile ceasefire in July after Mr Trump threatened to block trade deals unless the fighting ceased. 

Diplomatic ties still remain delicate with both governments accusing each another of tactics designed to aggravate the situation. Last week,

Mr Trump wrote to Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul

urging a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

But Thailand has set four conditions before it will begin negotiations with Cambodia: Cambodia must withdraw troops, remove land mines, crack down on cyber scam operations targeting Thai and foreigners, and resettle Cambodian citizens encroaching on the Thai side of the border.

It is unclear if any binding conditions or obligations would be included in any document signed in Mr Trump’s presence while he is in the region. Mr Trump has claimed that he has ended eight wars since returning to the White House in January, and has publicly said he thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. 

While Mr Suos Yara acknowledged the issues, he downplayed the concern over land mines. He emphasised that both sides must agree on colonial-era maps, particularly from the Franco-Siamese treaties of the early 1900s that defined the border.

Mr Suos Yara also urged Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers he said were captured after the ceasefire, but also stressed that their release would not be a condition for peace. The Thai military considers the soldiers prisoners of war under international law.

“They are not goods to trade with,” he said.

A Thai official earlier this week said that the US had made resolving the conflict part of the negotiations over a trade deal between the two nations. Mr Suos Yara declined to say whether Cambodia was under the same pressure. The US hit both countries with 19 per cent tariffs on goods. 

“We want to extend our humble thanks to President Trump,” Mr Suos Yara added. “Of course we wish to have a peace deal with our neighbouring country, but Donald Trump – he really did contribute to the ceasefire, and that has made us more relaxed up to now.” BLOOMBERG