Thailand has imposed a curfew in parts of its southeastern Trat province after clashes with neighbouring Cambodia spread to coastal areas along their disputed border, Thai authorities said on Sunday.
The move comes despite claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that both sides had agreed to halt hostilities following mediation efforts earlier in the week.
Thailand and Cambodia have exchanged heavy weapons fire at several points along their 817-kilometre shared border in recent days, marking some of the fiercest fighting since a brief but deadly conflict in July. The renewed violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians on both sides.
Thai Defence Ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said clashes had continued even after Cambodia reiterated its willingness to consider a ceasefire. He added that Thailand remained open to negotiations but insisted Cambodia must first end military actions.
Thai forces said they destroyed a bridge used by Cambodia to move heavy weapons into the conflict zone and carried out strikes against artillery positions in Cambodia’s coastal Koh Kong province. Cambodian authorities, however, accused Thailand of targeting civilian infrastructure.
The curfew applies to five districts of Trat province bordering Koh Kong, though popular tourist islands including Koh Chang and Koh Kood are exempt. A separate curfew previously imposed in eastern Sakeo province remains in effect.
Trump said on Friday that he had spoken with Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, claiming both leaders agreed to cease firing. However, Anutin later vowed that Thai forces would continue operations until national security threats were eliminated.
A White House spokesperson said Trump expects all parties to honour commitments and warned that those responsible for continued violence would be held accountable.
Fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbours has flared repeatedly this year, reigniting a long-running territorial dispute.
