Thailand-Cambodia: dialogue is needed immediately

Following the border clashes, a diplomatic solution under the auspices of ASEAN is urgently needed

The Italy-ASEAN Association expresses deep concern over the armed clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, which in recent days have caused casualties and increased tensions in the region. Although the two countries have a long history of complex relations, these events now risk destabilising the entire Southeast Asian region, undermining the spirit of cooperation that has always characterised ASEAN.

‘Having experienced the reality of Thailand first-hand, I believe it is essential that Bangkok and Phnom Penh immediately find a way to engage in dialogue, putting an end to all forms of violence,’ said Michelangelo Pipan, president of the Association and former ambassador to Thailand. ‘ASEAN should take a more active role in mediation, overcoming its usual policy of non-interference, to ensure stability and unity in the area.’

The territorial dispute between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has its roots in the colonial period, when Cambodia was a French protectorate and Paris redrew the borders with what was then Siam. 

Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, which holds the rotating ASEAN presidency for 2025, has now intervened. 'I have appealed to both leaders to immediately implement a ceasefire to prevent the conflict from worsening and to open up space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic solutions,“ said the Malaysian prime minister, welcoming what he called 'positive gestures and willingness shown by the two countries”.

The Italy-ASEAN Association therefore renews its call for an immediate ceasefire and the convening of a negotiating table with the mediation of ASEAN and international partners.