Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting each other on their border for days.

Shortly before a meeting of the heads of government of Thailand and Cambodia in Malaysia, international pressure is mounting on the conflicting parties. The goal is to "achieve an immediate ceasefire," wrote US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X. Heavy fighting broke out on the border between the two neighboring countries on Thursday and continues. There are dead and injured on both sides, and tens of thousands of people have fled.

Representatives of the US State Department are on site in Malaysia to support peace efforts, Rubio further stated. Both US President Donald Trump and he are in contact with their counterparts in both countries and are closely monitoring the situation. "We want this conflict to end as quickly as possible," Rubio emphasized. Both sides have accused each other of triggering the violence since the fighting began.

The meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is reportedly scheduled to take place this afternoon (local time) in Putrajaya. Malaysia holds this year's chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke with his counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia shortly after the fighting began and offered to act as mediator.

Hun Manet wrote on Facebook that Chinese representatives would also attend the meeting. "I will lead the Cambodian delegation to a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by Malaysia and co-organized by the United States, with the participation of China," he emphasized.

Trump had already spoken to both leaders by phone on Saturday and subsequently wrote on the Truth Social platform: "They have agreed to meet immediately and quickly work out a ceasefire and ultimately PEACE!" He added that there would be no negotiations regarding his threatened tariffs as long as both countries continued fighting. Trump had previously announced his intention to impose 36 percent tariffs on both countries in early August.

Meanwhile, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has canceled all official celebrations marking his 73rd birthday, according to Thai PBS. The celebrations were scheduled to last until Tuesday. The decision was made because "in light of the ongoing border conflicts, the government, the military, and all sectors of society must focus their efforts on protecting national sovereignty, defending the country, and ensuring the safety of the people," it said.