THAILAND and Cambodia have struck a ceasefire set to begin at midnight that will bring an end to the deadly clashes.
It comes after Donald Trump intervened in the jungle conflict and brought both sides to the negotiating table.
APCambodian military vehicles drive away from the Cambodia-Thai border in Siem Reap on Monday[/caption]
ReutersMalaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reacts (centre) as Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai shake hands[/caption]
ReutersA Thai military mobile unit fires towards Cambodia[/caption]
Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to bomb Cambodian military bases as the five-day fight escalated.
The conflict saw artillery, tanks and troops battling it out on the border covered by thick jungle.
The deal comes after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hosted the negotiations as chair of the regional bloc ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai met in Kuala Lumpur and hashed out details for the ceasefire.
Both Phumtham and Hun thanked Trump for supporting the talks after he spoke to the respective sides and urged them to stop fighting.
Hun praised Trump for his “decisive mediation” following the agreement.
The President said on Saturday that neither country could cut a trade deal with Washington as the fighting continued.
He posted on social media: “They are also looking to get back to the “Trading Table” with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS.
“They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!
“When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!”
Rivals Hun and Phumtham hailed the outcome of the meeting and shook hands at the conclusion of the brief press conference.
Hun Manet said he hoped that bilateral ties could return to normal soon so that some 300,000 villagers evacuated on both sides could return home.
He said: “It is time to start rebuilding trust, confidence and cooperation going forward between Thailand and Cambodia.”
Hun added “the solutions that Prime Minister Anwar just announced will set a condition for moving forward for our bilateral discussion to return to normalcy of the relationship.”
GettyA Thai soldier stands guard amid the border fighting[/caption]
ReutersA BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher drives along a Cambodia road[/caption]
Following the announcement, Trump said: “That was gonna be a very bad war so I’m honoured we got involved.
“That could have gone on for years, millions of people could have been killed.”
The fighting flared last Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers.
Thailand’s military had initially accused Cambodian troops of firing at a Thai army base in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple.
The religious building sits in the disputed territory in the south of Thailand’s Surin province and in Cambodia’s northwest.
Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more around 300,000 people on both sides.
Gunfire could be heard as dawn broke in Samrong in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province as troops from both sides reported ongoing fighting on Monday along the border areas.
The flare-up over a long-disputed border area was the deadliest since violence raged from 2008-2011 over the territory, which is claimed by both sides because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia’s French colonial administrators in 1907.
Thailand has today tragically seen a mass shooting after a gunman went on a shooting rampage in Bangkok before turning the gun on himself.
At least five people were shot dead after the gunman opened fire near the crowded Or Tor Kor market.
The victims of the mass shooting include security guards and market vendors, according to local media.
Inside century-long Thai-Cambodian border tensions
THE raging dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back to more than a century when their borders were first drawn up.
Today, the main issue revolves around who has ownership of the Preah Vihear temple.
In 2008, Cambodia tried to register the 11th Century temple located a disputed area as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
But Thailand, who claim it as their own, responded violently as protests spread across the region which left around 20 dead and thousands displaced.
The International Court of Justice later announced the disputed area belongs to Cambodia.
Despite the ruling, fights along the border have continued to kick off.
Over the years, sporadic clashes have seen soldiers and civilians ruthlessly killed on both sides.
The latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash.
This plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in over a decade.
In the past two months, Cambodia banned imports from Thailand such as fruits and vegetables.
They also stopped importing power and internet services across the border.
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