New York: New York António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, has strongly praised the latest ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand. He called it a “positive step towards ending current hostilities and easing tensions” along their shared border. The statement, which was made on Monday, July 28, 2025, through his Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, shows how relieved and hopeful the international community is that the long-standing and recently reignited territorial dispute will calm down.
Guterres instructed both countries to adhere to the terms of the agreement. He stressed how important it is for Cambodia and Thailand to create an environment where they can talk and negotiate their differences, with the goal of achieving permanent peace in Southeast Asia.
The Secretary-General also praised Malaysia, which is presently the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for its important role in mediating the ceasefire discussions. He also thanked the United States and China for their hard work, which helped bring forth a peaceful end to the situation through diplomatic pressure. This multilateral participation shows that the renewed conflict is a big deal for many countries throughout the world.
Guterres said again that the United Nations is ready to fully support any efforts to bring peace and stability to the area. This promise shows that the UN is willing to help Cambodia and Thailand reach a lasting solution, possibly by monitoring, facilitating, or providing technical help if both sides ask for it.
The recent flare-up of hostilities, which began in late May 2025 and increased considerably on July 24, had seen fighter jets, landmines, and diplomatic expulsions, marking the worst border skirmishes between the two nations in over a decade. The disagreement is mostly around parts of their 800-kilometer (500-mile) border that aren’t very clear, with the most conflict happening around old Khmer temples like Preah Vihear, Ta Muen Thom, and Ta Krabey. Even though the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that Cambodia had control over the Preah Vihear temple and made things clearer in 2013 about the surrounding promontory, there are still some regions that are in dispute.
The fighting had killed dozens of people, hurt hundreds, and forced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides to leave their homes. The ceasefire, which was negotiated in Kuala Lumpur by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, gives the afflicted populations a much-needed break and offers up a diplomatic path ahead.
UN Chief Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire, Urges Lasting Peace Amid Border Dispute
