Bangkok, Thailand: Military leaders from Thailand and Cambodia met on Tuesday to agree on details of a ceasefire, brokered amid pressure from the U.S., that halted five days of deadly skirmishes along their disputed border. Regional military commanders along the 800-kilometer border agreed to halt gunfire, refrain from moving troops, and establish direct bilateral communications.

According to Radio Free Asia, Thailand’s Phumtham and Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia appeared together on Monday to announce the ceasefire, brokered with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, the annual chair of the ASEAN regional bloc. The announcement came amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that continued fighting could stall negotiations for a trade deal with the U.S. Both countries face a 36% tariff on their goods unless a reduction can be negotiated. After the ceasefire deal was announced, Trump stated that he had spoken with both leaders and instructed his team to restart talks.

At least 43 people were killed and around 300,000 were displaced during the fighting, which involved jets, rockets, and artillery. Some locals, such as Cambodian Soklang Slay, expressed wariness as they returned to their homes, fearing that new fighting might break out. Soklang Slay accused Thailand of provoking the fighting first and expressed concern over Thailand’s intentions to occupy temples along the border.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee, an author and former editor of the Nation newspaper in Bangkok, was among those displaced. He had to evacuate, losing his cattle and his chance to harvest ripe durian fruit. He criticized the recent border skirmish as senseless and serving no real benefit, suggesting it served the interests of the Thai military and Cambodia’s ruling family. He pointed to the political spat between Hun Manet and suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra as a factor.

Politically, the conflict has placed the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the brink of collapse. The failure of coherent diplomacy has opened the door to external interventions, notably by the United States and China, complicating an already volatile situation. To resolve their issues long term, Supalak suggested both countries must accept international observers to monitor and verify the truce’s implementation. Additionally, he emphasized the need to reactivate dormant bilateral mechanisms to address critical issues of border security and the overdue boundary demarcation.