The prospect of peace between Thailand and Cambodia remains tenuous despite both nations publicly agreeing to hold ceasefire talks after mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump. The recent escalation of hostilities between the two Southeast Asian neighbors has left over 30 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. Trump’s unusual intervention-delivered via his social media platform Truth Social-appears to have spurred initial diplomatic movement, but the situation on the ground suggests that tensions remain dangerously high.

At the heart of the conflict is a decades-long territorial dispute rooted in colonial-era cartography. An early 20th-century map created during French colonial rule left parts of the Thailand-Cambodia border ill-defined, particularly near the disputed area surrounding the ancient Preah Vihear temple. While both sides have periodically clashed in the past, this latest flare-up is the deadliest in recent memory.

The immediate trigger came on July 23, when five Thai soldiers were wounded by landmines in the contested zone. Thai officials allege the mines were newly planted-a charge Cambodia denies. The incident spiraled into a broader skirmish the following day, involving artillery exchanges and cross-border infantry operations. Each side accused the other of initiating hostilities and violating previously agreed-upon de-escalation protocols.

By July 27, official reports indicated at least 34 fatalities, including both soldiers and civilians. Satellite imagery and local testimonies confirm that villages near the border have been shelled, forcing tens of thousands to flee to makeshift........

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