Holiday Ayo - The Cambodian Ministry of Defense has proposed that bilateral talks with Thailand regarding ceasefire terms be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, instead of on Thai soil as previously planned.

This request was made in a letter dated Monday (December 22) from Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha to Thai Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit.

In the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP and confirmed by the ministry, Tea Seiha cited security as the primary consideration.

"For security reasons due to the ongoing fighting along the border, this meeting must be held in a safe and neutral location," Tea Seiha wrote in the letter.

Malaysia, which currently chairs ASEAN, expressed its willingness to host the talks in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced the planned talks with Cambodia on Monday.

The statement came after a meeting with foreign ministers of ASEAN countries in Kuala Lumpur. Cambodia is also a member of the bloc.

Cambodians flock to evacuate from the battlefield against Thailand in Oddar Meanchey Province, December 8, 2025.

According to Sihasak, discussions between the two countries are scheduled to take place on Wednesday (December 24) in Chanthaburi, Thailand, and will be facilitated through the existing bilateral border committee framework.

However, tensions on the ground have not subsided. On Tuesday morning, Cambodian Ministry of Defense spokesperson Maly Socheata stated that clashes along the border were still ongoing.

"Fighting is still taking place along the border," he told reporters.

Cambodia also accused Thailand of carrying out an airstrike into Cambodian territory on Monday. The attack occurred shortly after Bangkok announced plans for bilateral talks.

In its official statement, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense added that Thai troops fired on the border town of Poipet, located in Cambodian territory.

The Thai-Cambodian war has escalated in the past two weeks, triggering deadly clashes that shattered a previous ceasefire.

To date, at least 23 people in Thailand and 21 in Cambodia have been killed. In addition, more than 900,000 people were reportedly displaced by the conflict.