Expert Warns of Rising Border Tensions as U.S. Urges Restraint Between Thailand and Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Nov. 13, 2025) — A regional affairs expert has warned that Thailand’s reported withdrawal from a peace agreement with Cambodia could reignite tensions along the border, as the United States calls on both sides to exercise restraint following an incident that allegedly injured Thai soldiers.

The appeal came after Washington urged Phnom Penh and Bangkok to seek a lasting resolution amid growing unease over a reported landmine blast near the frontier.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the United States “remains steadfast in its desire to see the neighbors take steps toward long-term peace.”

A senior U.S. administration official, speaking to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity, said President Donald J. Trump, who witnessed the signing of the Joint Declaration on Peace, “remains committed to the cessation of violence” and expects both governments to honor their pledges.

Chheang Vannarith, chairman of the Angkor Social Innovation Park, said the international community, including the U.S. and ASEAN, should play a more active role in maintaining the accord. “Thailand should refrain from unilateral actions that could undermine peace,” he said.

Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said “staged incidents” near the border could be used by Bangkok to renegotiate from a stronger position. He added that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s recent remarks about resisting “foreign pressure” signaled rising tensions with Washington.

Mengdavid urged Cambodia to remain calm and avoid escalation while maintaining vigilance along the border.

Thailand’s government and military announced on Nov. 11 their decision to terminate the peace agreement signed earlier this year in Malaysia. The deal was witnessed by President Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who chaired the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.