Safeguarding peace after border conflict

2026 began with good news: Thai-Cambodian ties showed signs of improvement following the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers on the final day of 2025.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

Cut-out billboards depicting members of the Thai armed forces and police next to the Kantharalak City Pillar Shrine in Kantharalak district in eastern Si Sa Ket province on Dec 29. AFP

(AFP)

The fighting has stopped, but the wounds have left deep scars that are highly visible and difficult to heal. Worse, public trust across the border remains low, while anguished emotions remain high.Furthermore, given the current media ecosystem and heightened emotions, one careless statement or a single piece of hate speech could easily stir up a hornet's nest and dismantle fragile peace efforts.

At this juncture, both sides have already inflicted mutual damage on their economies and social fabric. To ensure that Bangkok and Phnom Penh fully understand the delicacy of this door-die moment, the following 10 steps are needed to mend the fence in their love-hate relationship.

Thailand and Cambodia must begin the healing process among border communities without delay. At the grassroots level, local people can come together without protocol. Five months of border tensions have torn apart daily lives. Families have lost income, and the region's most dynamic cross-border trade has collapsed. These deep wounds must not fester. Both governments should support community exchanges, cooperation, and humanitarian access in all forms.