Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire holds for 72 hours; no word on prisoner release

By Panu Wongcha-um

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (Reuters) – A renewed ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia over border clashes passed the 72-hour mark on Tuesday, an initial goal the countries set to secure a more lasting ‍peace, but there was no word on the expected release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained since July.

The Southeast Asian neighbours agreed on a ceasefire that took effect at noon (0500 GMT) on Saturday, halting 20 days of fighting that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides, and included ‌fighter-jet sorties, exchanges of rocket fire and artillery barrages.

The border ‌clashes reignited early this month, following the breakdown in a ceasefire deal that U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helped broker to halt a previous round of conflict in July.

Under the agreement signed by the defence ministers ​of both countries on Saturday, Thailand said that after the ceasefire held for 72 hours it would release 18 Cambodian soldiers who have been ‍in detention since July. By mid-afternoon on ​Tuesday there was no news on the status of the ​soldiers.

Earlier in the day, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the ceasefire was fragile ‍and needed both sides to ensure that it was sustained and that bilateral relations were gradually repaired.

“The ceasefire has only just been agreed so there is fragility,” Sihasak told reporters. “We should avoid instigation or things that could diminish the ceasefire,” he said.

On Monday, the Thai army said Cambodia had ‍breached the ceasefire by flying more than 250 drones over Thailand on Sunday night, and threatened to reconsider the decision to hand over the detained Cambodian soldiers.

Cambodian ‍authorities strongly rejected the ‍accusation, and issued an order prohibiting the use of ​drones across the country.

The Thai Foreign Ministry also sent a ​formal ⁠protest to Cambodia after a Thai soldier lost a ‌limb on Monday in a landmine blast at a border area.

Landmine incidents were a catalyst for the renewed clashes.

China’s Foreign Minister hosted two days of talks with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, reaching an agreement on Monday that the two countries would work to rebuild mutual trust and gradually consolidate the ceasefire.

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; ⁠Editing by Kate Mayberry)