Bangkok
\nThailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold talks in Malaysia on Monday in an attempt to negotiate an end to a conflict that has lasted four days.
\nThailand said on Sunday a delegation led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai would attend, after US President Donald Trump called the leaders of both countries on Saturday to press for an immediate ceasefire.
\nThe Thai government said it had been told by Malaysia that Cambodian Prime Minister Hum Manet would also attend.
\nAt least 33 soldiers and civilians have been killed while thousands of Thai and Cambodian nationals have been displaced since border fighting broke out on 24 July.
\nAt the beginning of a private visit to his Scottish golf courses, Trump wrote on Truth Social that both nations \u201chave agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!\u201d
\nBoth countries thanked him for his concern and efforts, though shelling continued overnight into Sunday. Cambodia accepted his request for a ceasefire, while Thailand stressed the need for a dialogue between the two countries.
\nCambodia had already proposed a ceasefire; its military is weaker than Thailand\u2019s and it has been losing ground and equipment to the Thai artillery bombardments and air strikes.
\n\u201cI made it clear to [Trump] that Cambodia agreed with the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces,\u201d Manet said after the phone call, adding that Trump\u2019s mediation \u201cwill truly help protect the lives of many soldiers and civilians\u201d.
\nOn the other hand, Thailand says it is willing to consider a ceasefire, but is sticking to its previous demand that dialogue with Cambodia must come first.
\nWechayachai \u201cthanked President Trump for his concern and expressed that Thailand agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place. However, Thailand would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side,\u201d the Thai foreign ministry said in a statement.
\nNo peace, no trade talks
\nTrump said that he looked forward to resuming trade talks with Cambodia and Thailand though it wasn\u2019t appropriate to hold discussions until the \u201cfighting STOPS\u201d.
\nHe has intervened a week before US tariffs on Cambodia and Thailand are due to come into force.
\nFrom 1 August, businesses in the US shipping in goods from Thailand or Cambodia will have to pay a 36% tax unless an agreement can be reached before then.
\nIt is not clear how Trump has become involved in the situation, given that just a day ago Thailand\u2019s foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa said: \u201cI don\u2019t think we need any mediation from a third country yet.\u201d
\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously offered to facilitate talks between Thailand and Cambodia.
\nEarlier on Saturday, Cambodia had already called for \u201cimmediate\u201d ceasefire with Thailand and a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
\nAfter teeing off at his luxury resort Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire, the US president said that he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham.
\n\u201cWhen all is done, and peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!\u201d Trump wrote.
\nThailand and Cambodia have each accused the other of firing first in this latest clash.
\nThailand claims fighting began when Cambodia\u2019s military deployed drones to conduct surveillance of Thai troops near the border.
\nCambodia alleges that Thai soldiers violated a prior agreement by advancing on a Khmer-Hindu temple.
\nThe dispute between the two countries dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bangkok Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to hold talks in Malaysia on Monday in an attempt to negotiate an end to a conflict that has lasted four days. Thailand said on Sunday a delegation led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai would attend, after US President Donald Trump called the leaders of both countries on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":493121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-493110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n