President Donald Trump has presided over the signing of a new agreement between Thailand and Cambodia aimed at managing their long-standing border dispute, marking progress on a ceasefire he helped broker as he seeks to strengthen his case for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet joined the U.S. president at a ceremonial event in Malaysia, which is hosting a regional summit and played a key role in mediating negotiations between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
“This is so exciting, because we did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done, and we saved maybe millions of lives,” Trump said during the event.
Under the arrangement, the United States has agreed to pursue “a major trade deal with Cambodia and a very important critical minerals agreement with Thailand,” Trump announced, without elaborating on the terms.
The peace pact, which Trump has dubbed the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords”, also includes the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war and the deployment of observers from Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, to help maintain stability along the border.
“On behalf of the United States, I’m proud to help settle this conflict and forge a future for the region where proud, independent nations can prosper and thrive,” Trump said.
The latest border clashes earlier this year killed more than 40 people and displaced thousands. A fragile truce was reached in July after Trump threatened to halt trade negotiations unless the fighting stopped.
Diplomatic relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh remain sensitive, with both sides accusing each other of provoking the violence.
Uncertainty also lingers over whether Sunday’s signing constitutes a formal peace treaty. Last week, Trump sent a letter to Anutin urging a peaceful resolution, and Thai officials have suggested he used the conflict as leverage in trade talks.
Even the nature of the document has become a subtle point of contention. While Trump has branded it a “peace deal,” Thai officials have referred to it as a “declaration” focused on border management rather than a binding accord.
Cambodia has welcomed Trump’s mediation efforts and formally nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the border conflict. Thailand, a U.S. treaty ally with a stronger military, has taken a more cautious stance on external intervention.
Anutin said peace would only be sustainable if Cambodia met four key conditions: withdrawing troops, removing land mines, dismantling cyber-scam operations, and relocating Cambodian citizens who have settled on Thai territory.
Trump has claimed to have “ended eight wars” since returning to the White House in January and has repeatedly argued that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
A spokesman for the Thai government said Washington made resolving the border conflict part of broader trade negotiations, noting that the U.S. has imposed a 19% tariff on both nations’ exports.
Sunday’s ceremony was held earlier in the day following the death of Thailand’s Queen Mother, Queen Sirikit, on Friday at the age of 93.
Trump expressed his condolences to Prime Minister Anutin and the Thai people, saying, “Today, we honour her memory by bringing the blessing of peace to the nation she dearly loved.”
