THE leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are to meet in Malaysia for talks to end hostilities between the neighbouring countries, the Thai prime minister’s office said today. 

This follows pressure from US President Donald Trump for an end to a deadly border dispute that has killed at least 34 people and displaced more than 168,000.

Spokesman Jirayu Huangsap said acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai would attend Monday’s talks in response to an invitation from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim “to discuss peace efforts in the region.”

The spokesman added that Mr Phumtham’s Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet would also attend the talks, though this was not immediately confirmed by the Cambodian side. 

He added that Mr Anwar was acting in his capacity as chairman of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).

Mr Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he had spoken to the Thai and Cambodian leaders and suggested that he would not pursue trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued.

He later said that both sides had agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire.

The Cambodian prime minister said earlier today that his country had agreed to pursue an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire.” He said Mr Trump had told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following the US president’s conversation with Mr Phumtham.

The Thai PM agreed in principle to a ceasefire and called for swift bilateral talks to discuss concrete steps towards a peaceful resolution.

The fighting flared on Thursday after a landmine explosion on the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, both recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued today along parts of the contested border, with both sides refusing to budge and trading blame over renewed shelling and troop movements.

Thai army deputy spokesman Colonel Richa Suksowanont said Mr Trump’s efforts to mediate were a “separate matter.”

The battlefield operations will continue and a ceasefire can only happen if Cambodia formally initiates negotiations, he added.

“Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith and repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law,” Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said separately.

Cambodian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Lieutenant General Maly Socheata accused Thai forces of escalating the violence with bombardment of Cambodian territory early today, followed by a “large-scale incursion” involving tanks and ground troops in multiple areas.