Bombay Durpun - Thailand and Cambodia declare truce after weeks of clashes

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement "as a positive step towards alleviating the suffering of civilians... and creating an environment conducive to achieving lasting peace", spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

At least 47 people were killed and more than a million displaced in three weeks of fighting with artillery, tanks, drones and jets, according to official tallies.

The conflict spread to nearly every border province on both sides, shattering an earlier truce for which US President Donald Trump took credit.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to the ceasefire that took effect at 12 pm (0500 GMT), said the declaration signed by the Southeast Asian neighbours' defence ministers at a border checkpoint on the Thai side.

The truce applies to "all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructures, and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas".

Both sides agreed to freeze all troop movements and allow civilians living in border areas to return home as soon as possible, the statement said.

They also agreed to cooperate on demining efforts and combatting cybercrime, while Thailand was to return 18 captured Cambodian soldiers within 72 hours.

Thai Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit said the initial three-day window would be an "observation period to confirm that the ceasefire is real".

He called the truce "a door to a peaceful resolution" in a speech earlier on Saturday.

Displaced Cambodian Oeum Raksmey told AFP she was "very happy that people can return home" if the fighting stops.

"But I dare not return home yet. I am still scared," said the 22-year-old, who has sheltered with her family in Cambodia's Siem Reap province.

- 'Real peace' -

On the other side of the border, 55-year-old Thai village head Khampong Lueklarp was similarly cautious.

"I personally think the ceasefire won't really happen," said the head of Ban Ta Sawang Samakkee village in Sisaket province, adding he hoped for "a real peace".

The ceasefire followed three days of border talks convened following a crisis meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni, in a post on X, thanked "ASEAN for playing a positive part" and called on Cambodia and Thailand to implement the agreement "in good faith".

The European bloc was ready to provide any needed support, he added.

The United States and China also pushed for an end to the fighting.

Beijing's foreign ministry said the ceasefire "demonstrates that dialogue and consultations are a realistic and effective way of resolving complex disputes", offering support moving forward.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi will host the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers for talks in Yunnan province on January 28-29, the countries said.

- Broken ceasefire -

Five days of fighting in July killed dozens of people before a truce was brokered by the United States, China and ASEAN chair Malaysia.

Trump witnessed the signing of an expanded agreement between Thailand and Cambodia in October, but it was broken within months, with each side blaming the other for instigating the fresh fighting.

At least 25 Thai soldiers and one Thai civilian were killed in the latest round of clashes, officials said.

Cambodia, outgunned and outspent by Bangkok's military, said 21 civilians were killed.

Phnom Penh has reported no military deaths, even though an official Facebook post showed first lady Pich Chanmony, the wife of Cambodia's leader Hun Manet, at a funeral for troops killed in the fighting.

The violence was still raging while this week's border talks were underway.

On Friday, Cambodia accused Thailand of intensifying its bombardment of disputed border areas, and Thai media reported Cambodian attacks overnight.

While both sides agreed to halt the fighting, they will still need to resolve the demarcation of their border following the ceasefire.

The contested temples are claimed by both nations because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said he hoped the ceasefire "will pave the way for confidence building & peace".

N.Sabharwal--BD