Thai-Cambodia ‘peace deal’ under Trump presidency

Everyone knew it would be all about US President Donald Trump.

He outshone virtually everyone else at the ceremony in Kuala Lumpur where Cambodia and Thailand signed their agreement. He gave the biggest speeches – and made the biggest claims.

It was all over the top.

This is an important day for South East Asia, said Trump. “A monumental step.”

Describing the two slightly sheepish-looking prime ministers who signed the deal as “historic figures”, Trump recalled how he became involved in the Thai-Cambodian border conflict while visiting the Turnberry golf course in Scotland in July.

“And I said it’s more important than a round of golf … I could have had a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of fun … saving people and saving the country.”

Trump sought the special ceremony as a condition of his attendance at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit – a gathering that US presidents have attended in the past, but not always. And he used it to become known as a great peacemaker.

“Eight wars ended in eight months of my administration – never like that,” he said. “We’re averaging one a month… It’s like, I shouldn’t say it’s a hobby, because it’s very serious, but something I’m good at and something I love to do.”

But what is the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord”, as Trump has renamed it, actually?

Remember, both countries signed a ceasefire back in July.

Trump’s pressure also helped — or at least accelerated — him.

Looking at the details of the latest deal, it doesn’t go far.

Both countries have agreed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the disputed border and set up an interim inspection team to monitor it.

They have a new procedure for clearing landmines and will establish a joint task force to address the proliferation of scam centers.

They will temporarily replace the missing border markers.

That’s progress — and Thai diplomats have told me they think Trump’s involvement will help the deals stick.

But the The historical differences on the border are still not resolved And there is a risk of relapse.

After the ceremony, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihsak Phuangkat Keo refused to call it a peace agreement – instead sticking to his own preferred title of “Joint Declaration by the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia on the Results of their Meeting in Kuala Lumpur”, which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

“I would call it the path to peace,” Sihsak was willing to go as far as that — a far cry from Trump’s sweeping claims about it.

Sebastian Strangio, a writer and Southeast Asia editor for Diplomat magazine, posted, “This is a very minor deal for a US president to hold the presidency.”

Cambodia is very enthusiastic, but then it has always tried to internationalize its dispute with Thailand – referring it to the International Court of Justice – Thailand does not agree.

At the ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Manet praised the US president – reminding him that his government had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul was more cautious – sensing nationalist pressure at home not to give too much to Cambodia, Cambodia’s authoritarian government need not worry.

Thailand has always insisted that the dispute should be resolved bilaterally, without outside mediation.

It says it appreciates Trump’s support and describes the US and Malaysia as merely “facilitating” the deal.

No country – or the rest of ASEAN – could afford to turn down Trump’s request for the ceremony.

South East Asia is the world’s most export-dependent region, relying more on the US market than China.

It’s been a tough year living through the existential threat of Trump’s initial tariffs – up to 48% – and going through nail-biting negotiations to bring them down to a more manageable 19-20%.

Trump is not even staying at most of the ASEAN summits.

After two bilateral meetings and dinner, he flew to Japan and then to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting – another multilateral group at odds with his brutal dealing style, but where he hopes to re-establish ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

But the US president’s 24-hour stay in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN hopes, will help bring some stability to their relationship.