Philippines brokers Thailand-Cambodia border peace talks at 48th Asean Summit in Cebu

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. convened a trilateral meeting between himself and his Thai and Cambodian counterparts in a bid to broker peace between the warring Indochinese countries.

At the sidelines of the ongoing 48th Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Cebu City, Marcos met with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to talk about the ongoing border disputes between the two countries.

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The Thailand-Cambodia dispute worsened in May 2025, with clashes claiming at least a hundred lives and displacing thousands of civilians. The ongoing hostilities have roots in over a century of disputes regarding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple located inside Cambodian territory but is also being claimed by Thailand.

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Marcos said that as Asean chair and summit host, the Philippines wanted to provide space for constructive dialogue to settle border issues, revealing that "many subjects have been covered, some agreements have been reached, and ways forward have been discussed."

"They have both reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open communication, exercising restraint, avoiding actions that may escalate tensions, and continuing efforts towards peaceful dialogue and constructive engagement," Marcos reported.

Marcos added Charnvirakul and Manet agreed to direct their respective foreign ministries to carry out efforts to rebuild trust and ease tensions.

"We express our confidence in the ability of both Cambodia and Thailand to resolve the matter amicably and to manage their border differences peacefully in the spirit of Asean solidarity and unity," Marcos added.

Prime Minister Charnvirakul, for his part, said: “Thailand and Cambodia are two neighboring countries. It is best that we avoid conflict; it only brings losses and suffering."

Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet commended the Philippines’ promotion of regional peace.

Marcos’s move is seen as a bid to bolster Philippines’ chances in getting a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council in a few weeks’ time.