Thai PM seeks earlier Cambodia peace meeting after queen mother's death

BSS
Published On: 25 Oct 2025, 15:44

BANGKOK, Oct 25, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Thailand's Prime Minister delayed on Saturday his departure to a summit of ASEAN leaders in Malaysia following the death of the Queen mother but said he still wanted to jet in for a peace deal with Cambodia, to be witnessed by US president Donald Trump.

"I cancelled my trip to Malaysia today. However, regarding the peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia with the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the US President, I've asked them to rescheduled for tomorrow morning instead," Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters broadcast on local television.

Thailand's former Queen Sirikit, the mother of the current King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the nation's longest-reigning monarch, died late Friday at the age of 93, the palace said.

"It is a great loss to the nation," Anutin said before an urgent cabinet meeting on Saturday morning.

Trump will attend the ceremonial signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia at an upcoming summit of Southeast Asian nations, the foreign minister of host Malaysia said last week.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in July into the deadliest military clashes in decades, killing more than 40 people and forcing around 300,000 to flee their homes.

The two sides agreed to a ceasefire -- brokered in part by Trump -- after five days of fighting and have since repeatedly traded accusations of truce violations.

The royal family is venerated in Thailand, treated by many as semi-divine figures and lavished with glowing media coverage and gold-adorned portraits hanging in public spaces and private homes nationwide.

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