United States President Donald Trump says he has spoken with the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand in a bid to end their border fighting, on the second day of his golfing trip in Scotland, where he owns and is promoting two courses.
“Just spoke to the Prime Minister of Cambodia relative to stopping the War with Thailand,” said Trump in a post on his Truth Social network on Saturday. Trump, who was playing at his Turnberry resort with son Eric and US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, said soon after in a new post, “I have just spoken to the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, and it was a very good conversation.”
On Saturday, the death toll on both sides stood at 32, with more than 130 injured. Trump’s announcement came as clashes, now in their third day, continued in the countries’ coastal regions where they meet on the Gulf of Thailand, about 250 kilometres (160 miles) southwest of the main front lines.
Tensions flared over long-contested ancient temple sites before fighting spread along the countries’ rural border region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and agricultural land where locals farm rubber and rice.
The decades-old conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, centred around a contested section of their shared border, re-erupted on Thursday after a landmine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers.
“Thailand, like Cambodia, wants to have an immediate Ceasefire, and PEACE,” said Trump on Saturday.
“I am now going to relay that message back to the Prime Minister of Cambodia. After speaking to both Parties, Ceasefire, Peace, and Prosperity seems to be a natural. We will soon see!”
Trump also indicated he would not move forward on trade deals with either nation until fighting has stopped.
Trump’s visit to Scotland, where his late mother hailed from, has met protests, both at the golf course where he is playing and elsewhere around the UK.
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