It was, as everyone expected, a spectacle centered entirely on US President Donald Trump.
At the ceremony in Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord where Cambodia and Thailand signed their long-awaited agreement Trump quite literally stood above everyone else. He delivered the lengthiest speech, made the grandest claims, and filled the room with superlatives.
“This is a momentous day for Southeast Asia,” he declared. “A monumental step.”
Introducing the two somewhat bashful prime ministers as “historic figures,” Trump recounted in detail how he became involved in the Thai-Cambodian border conflict while visiting his Turnberry golf course in Scotland back in July.
“I said to myself, this is far more important than a round of golf… I could’ve had fun, but this this is real fun saving people, saving countries,” he said.
Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord (Cambodia and Thailand)
Trump had personally requested this special ceremony as a condition for attending the annual ASEAN summit a gathering that previous US presidents have joined only sporadically. He seized the opportunity to reinforce his campaign to be recognized as a global peacemaker.
“My administration has ended eight wars in eight months nothing like that has ever happened,” he claimed. “We’re averaging one a month. I shouldn’t call it a hobby it’s far more serious but it’s something I’m good at and something I love doing.”
But what does the so-called “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord”, as Trump has rebranded it, actually entail? (Source)
In reality, both countries had already signed a ceasefire back in July an agreement that Trump’s involvement may have accelerated but did not originate.
This latest deal represents only modest progress. Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to withdraw heavy weaponry from the disputed border and to establish an interim observer team to monitor the area. They’ve introduced new procedures for clearing landmines and will form a joint taskforce to combat the rise of scam centers along the frontier. Temporary border markers will replace missing ones.
It’s a step forward, and Thai diplomats privately acknowledge that Trump’s attention may help ensure these promises are upheld.
Trump Steals the Spotlight as Cambodia and Thailand Sign the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord” Still, the deep-rooted border disputes remain unresolved and could easily ignite again in the future.
