Trump says Thai-Cambodia peace deal will be signed immediately upon his arrival in Malaysia

BANGKOK – US President Donald Trump will witness the signing of a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia as soon as he arrives in Malaysia on Oct 26, he said while en route to Asia.

Thailand’s Prime Minister, who had requested that the signing be done earlier because of the

death of the kingdom’s Queen Mother,

will be on hand “when we land”, Mr Trump said in a post on his Truth Social from aboard Air Force One.

“Sadly, the Queen Mother of Thailand has just passed away. I send my condolences to the Great People of Thailand,” Mr Trump wrote.

“In order to accommodate everyone for this major event, we will be signing the Peace Deal immediately upon arrival.”

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Oct 25 delayed his departure for a summit of Asean leaders in Malaysia following the death of the Queen Mother, but said he still wanted to jet in for a peace deal with Cambodia, to be witnessed by US President Donald Trump.

“I cancelled my trip to Malaysia today. However, regarding the peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia with the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the US President, I’ve asked them to reschedule for tomorrow morning instead,” Mr Anutin told reporters broadcast on local television.

Thailand’s former Queen Sirikit, the mother of the current King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the nation’s longest-reigning monarch, died late on Oct 24 at the age of 93, the palace said.

“It is a great loss to the nation,” Mr Anutin said before an urgent Cabinet meeting on the morning of Oct 25.

Mr Trump will attend the ceremonial signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia at an upcoming summit of South-east Asian nations, the Foreign Minister of host Malaysia said last week.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in July into the

deadliest military clashes

in decades, killing more than 40 people and forcing around 300,000 to flee their homes.

The two sides agreed to a ceasefire – brokered in part by Mr Trump – after five days of fighting, and have since repeatedly traded accusations of truce violations.

The royal family is venerated in Thailand, treated by many as semi-divine figures and lavished with glowing media coverage and gold-adorned portraits hanging in public spaces and private homes nationwide. AFP