Trump says he will make telephone call to stop renewed Thailand-Cambodia fighting

BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH (Web News) – Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of targeting civilians in border attacks on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would make a telephone call to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered in July.

The Southeast Asian neighbours have blamed each other for the clashes that started on Monday, and remain at odds over a diplomatic solution to months of simmering tension.

Asked about the prospect of further intervention by Trump, a Thai government spokesperson said there had been no talks with him so far, while Bangkok’s position was that negotiations should not be initiated by a third party.

“It should not start with a mediator, but it must start with Cambodia changing its stance, stopping threatening Thailand and formally requesting negotiations with Thailand,” Siripong Angkasakulkiat told Reuters.

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said Phnom Penh’s position remained the same, that it wanted only peace, and had only acted in self-defence.

The responses followed Trump’s offer to halt the renewed Southeast Asian hostilities, made at a rally in Pennsylvania after enumerating the wars he claimed to have helped stop, such as those between Pakistan and India, and Israel and Iran.

“I hate to say this one, named Cambodia-Thailand, and it started up today, and tomorrow I am going to have to make a phone call,” he added.

“Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?'”

In an interview on Tuesday, Thailand’s foreign minister had said he saw no potential for negotiations, adding that the situation was not conducive to third-party mediation.

A top adviser to Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet told Reuters that day his country was “ready to talk at any time”.