Phnom Penh, October 14, 2025: October 26, 2025, will mark a historic milestone for Cambodia–Thailand relations and peace in Southeast Asia. On that day, U.S. President Donald Trump will lead a delegation from Washington to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to witness the signing ceremony of the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement” between Cambodia and Thailand — a new turning point that is expected to open the door to peace, unity, and long-term stability in the region.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan announced that the agreement will require both sides to clear landmines and remove all heavy weapons from the border area to ensure a lasting ceasefire and to establish a genuine peace zone along the frontier. This landmark event will take place during the ASEAN Summit, scheduled from October 26–28, 2025.
For Cambodia, the U.S. President’s visit is more than a diplomatic gesture — it is a renewed recognition by the international community that Cambodia’s “peaceful victory” strategy, based on patience, respect for international law, and the use of diplomacy as a weapon of peace, is the right and principled path.
It is a clear sign that Cambodia’s steadfast commitment to national sovereignty and peace has gained support from major powers and is becoming a model for the entire region.
*The Significance of President Donald Trump’s Historic Visit៖
In the history of ASEAN politics, it is rare for a U.S. President to personally attend a regional peace initiative.
President Donald Trump’s presence at the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement ceremony therefore carries profound historical meaning. It signifies that this is not a secret bilateral peace, but an agreement with full international legitimacy and formal recognition.
It also reaffirms that the ceasefire initiative first launched by President Trump — and signed on July 28, 2025, in Malaysia — was not an ordinary document that could be violated at will. It is an agreement that the U.S. government continues to monitor closely, ensuring both sides honor their commitments and uphold the peace process.
Trump’s visit further signals that the United States and ASEAN are entering a new era of cooperative political peace, where engagement with small countries like Cambodia demonstrates that true peace is not built on power, but on respect for international law and the good faith of all nations.
What happens in Kuala Lumpur will set a model for peaceful conflict resolution in Southeast Asia — proof that peace can be achieved when great and small powers work together under the principles of equality and international respect.
*Malaysia and the United States’ Participation៖
Malaysia’s role as facilitator, and the United States’ role as official guarantor, clearly show that ASEAN and the world’s major powers are working hand in hand to ensure peace and regional stability.
Their involvement is not merely symbolic; it reflects the shared responsibility of the international community to maintain peace, rather than leaving it solely to neighboring countries in conflict.
If the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement is implemented with honesty and determination, it will represent the final step in resolving the months-long border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
More importantly, it will close the door on Thailand’s ongoing “Salami Slicing” and “Psychological Warfare” strategies — acts of creeping aggression and intimidation along the border.
The latest violation, still fresh in memory, occurred on October 10 in Prey Chan village, Banteay Meanchey province, when Thai troops used Cambodian villagers’ land-clearing machinery under the pretext of “demining.”
In reality, it was a blatant act of territorial encroachment and psychological harassment — using loudspeakers late at night to spread fear, distress, and exhaustion among Cambodian villagers living on their ancestral land.
With close oversight by President Donald Trump, the upcoming peace agreement is expected to become a powerful, binding international instrument that will end border violations and acts of violence once and for all.
It will formally put an end to Thailand’s psychological warfare and salami-slicing tactics — demonstrating that true peace can be achieved through political will, respect for international law, and genuine partnership within the global community.
Thailand’s use of these hybrid tactics — land grabbing through barbed wire, night disturbances, and intimidation — aimed at weakening the morale of Cambodian citizens, will be brought to an end under the legal authority of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement, which President Trump will preside over during the official signing ceremony.
This development will restore Cambodia’s confidence, dignity, and moral leadership as a nation that has always chosen peace as its first principle and foundation.
Therefore, with the United States and ASEAN as official witnesses, any future violation of this agreement by either party will no longer be regarded as a mere bilateral issue.
It will become an international matter carrying legal and political consequences. This marks an important safeguard for small nations like Cambodia, ensuring they will no longer be blamed, silenced, or forced to excuse the actions of the aggressor.
The firm stance of the United States and ASEAN serves as a living testimony that, in this new era of peace, the violators can no longer replace the victims — and the victims must never again become the violators.
Conclusion៖
The visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025 is a rare and historic event for Cambodia and for peace in Southeast Asia.
It underscores the truth that peace is not a product of power, but the outcome of patience, wisdom, and the sincerity of nations that truly love peace.
If the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement is implemented in full, it will mark a new chapter in ending the Cold-War-style hostility, the land-grabbing tactics, and the psychological warfare along the Cambodian-Thai border — while ushering in a new era of regional harmony with Cambodia at the center of peacemaking.
For Cambodia, this event stands as a reaffirmation of the political triumph of “Winning by Peace”, pioneered by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and successfully carried forward by Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.
It represents the living vitality of Cambodia’s peaceful political spirit — the very force that has made the Khmer nation strong through peace, independence, and a prosperous future.
In this new era, Cambodia has shown the world that a small country can lead the cause of peace through moral integrity, diplomatic strength, and national unity.
This is the long-awaited victory of the Cambodian people — a victory of peace, solidarity, and the everlasting honor of the Khmer nation.
