File Picture: PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with US President Donald Trump during the Signing Ceremony of the Thailand–Cambodia Peace Agreement at the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur last Oct. AFIQ HAMBALI/PMO
By TNS News Team
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 — Malaysia, in its capacity as Chair of ASEAN, will convene a Special Meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on Monday, Dec 22, to address escalating hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday.
The emergency meeting, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, comes amid the most serious military confrontation between the two neighbouring Southeast Asian states in more than a decade, with armed clashes along their disputed border raising concerns over regional stability and civilian safety.
According to the Ministry, the meeting is being convened “pursuant to the decision of the Prime Ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand on 11 December 2025,” indicating coordination at the highest political level to contain the crisis. The session will be chaired by Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Ministry said the meeting will provide a platform for ASEAN foreign ministers to exchange views on the evolving situation and to consider steps the regional bloc may take in support of de-escalation and cessation of hostilities “in the interest of peace and stability between the two ASEAN Member States and the wider region.”
It added that the convening of the session reflects ASEAN’s commitment to unity, solidarity and centrality, in line with the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia has positioned itself as an active facilitator in efforts to reduce tensions. The Ministry reaffirmed that Malaysia remains committed to promoting constructive dialogue in the ASEAN spirit, and to facilitating both parties’ adherence to international law, good-neighbourly relations, peaceful coexistence, and regional cooperation in pursuit of a peaceful and lasting settlement.
The current crisis stems from a long-standing territorial dispute centred on the Preah Vihear temple complex and surrounding areas along the 800-kilometre Cambodia–Thailand border. The dispute dates back to colonial-era border demarcations between French Indochina and Siam. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, though disagreements over adjacent territory persisted.
Tensions have periodically flared over the years, most notably in 2008 and 2011, resulting in casualties and the displacement of civilians. Those clashes drew international concern and prompted further legal clarification by the ICJ.
The latest escalation reportedly began in late November 2025, with renewed military deployments along the border, followed by artillery exchanges and ground skirmishes in early December. International media reports indicate military casualties on both sides and the evacuation of civilians from border areas.
The dispute carries strong nationalist sensitivities in both countries. In Thailand, the area—known domestically as Khao Phra Wihan—is viewed by some as historically Thai territory, while in Cambodia, Preah Vihear is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site and a potent symbol of national sovereignty. These sentiments have, at times, complicated diplomatic efforts.
The confrontation poses a direct test of ASEAN’s credibility as a regional organisation founded on peaceful dispute resolution and consensus. Armed conflict between two member states challenges the bloc’s long-standing norms of non-interference and informal diplomacy, and raises questions about the adequacy of existing mechanisms for managing intra-ASEAN disputes.
The crisis also risks disrupting trade and connectivity across mainland Southeast Asia, with both Cambodia and Thailand playing important roles in regional supply chains and transport corridors. It unfolds at a time when ASEAN is already navigating broader geopolitical pressures and external security challenges.
Monday’s Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be closely watched by regional and international observers as an indicator of ASEAN’s capacity to contain escalation, preserve unity, and reaffirm its central role in maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia. – TNS NEWS
Editor’s Note: This article is based on an official press statement issued by Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 December 2025.