For Thailand and Cambodia — Not in conflict, but under the same Bo tree

In recent days, two nations steeped in Buddhism, Thailand and Cambodia, found themselves embroiled in hostilities. Thankfully, these tensions have been defused.

- By Don DE SILVA

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, who, as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), welcomed Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet for peace talks at his residence — bringing forth the ceasefire that began at midnight on 28 July 2025.

Both Thailand and Cambodia are overwhelmingly Buddhist nations. Over 93% of Thais and nearly 97% of Cambodians identify as Theravda Buddhists. The two countries have shared a complex relationship of cooperation and rivalry over the decades. They also share a 508-mile (817-kilometre) land border—largely mapped by the French during Cambodia’s colonial period—which has been a source of repeated political tension and conflict.

This longstanding dispute was taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ruled in 1962 that the sacred Preah Vihear Temple lies on the Cambodian side of the border—a decision Thailand accepted at the time. However, ambiguity remained over the surrounding territory, leading to renewed tensions and the present conflict.

The Human Cost to Date

This conflict has inflicted severe suffering:

+ At least 35-36 people have been killed, they are mostly civilians.

+ Displacement has reached staggering proportions—over 260,000, and possibly up to 300,000 individuals on both sides.

+ Thai authorities report more than 130,000 people fleeing, while Cambodian sources cite evacuations of around 37,000.

These families—many uprooted overnight, watching their homes reduced to rubble—have endured trauma, uncertainty, and fear. Each lost life is a life extinguished. The grief of mothers, the anxiety of children, the ruin of homes—all underscore an urgent imperative: let peace take root.

A Spiritual Bond