Description: Military commanders from Thailand and Cambodia held meetings in Malaysia and discussed the implementation of the previously agreed ceasefire, mediated by the US and China. The commanders reportedly agreed that a monitoring mechanism should be put in place to objectively ensure the cessation of the hostilities and its long – term implementation towards a peace agreement. The discussions also outlined that defense officials from both countries would continue negotiations on 04 Aug in Cambodia, as part of the General Border Committee bilateral mechanism, which supervises border security, ceasefires and troop deployments. The announced ceasefire was immediately under risk of collapsing as Thai forces accused their Cambodian counterparts of continuing the small arms fire after the announcement of the ceasefire. The situation has since stabilized and both parties are upholding their stance to continue negotiating.
Impact: The five – day conflict between Thailand and Cambodia reverberated in diametrically opposing ramifications to their national government establishments. Thailand’s military and the royal family managed to reduce the influence of the Shinawatra dynasty upon the internal and external political dynamics in the country, while Cambodia’s Hun Sen managed to legitimize his son’s rule as Prime Minister of the country riding on the nationalist sentiment and national security concerns that encircled the abrupt armed confrontation. Discussions over the proposed monitoring mechanisms are still ongoing, however, historically, both countries have managed to demonstrate restraint in similar confrontations in the past without foreign involvement. Thailand and Cambodia are set to restart trade talks with their largest trading partner, the US, after managing to recalibrate bilateral ties. The current developments indicate that both countries would remain committed to refraining from further hostilities, however, the decades long border disputes remain unresolved without further foreign diplomatic engagement which poses a long – term risk to the region’s stability.