US Offers $45 Million to Stop Thailand-Cambodia Border Clashes

The United States has announced a major financial incentive to end fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. A $45 million aid package is conditional on a lasting ceasefire at their disputed border. The offer was made by a senior US diplomat during visits to both Asian nations this week. The money is intended for joint development projects, but only if the military stand-down holds. For decades, soldiers from the two countries have clashed near ancient temples. The border in this area was never fully agreed upon after a French colonial ruling. Sporadic gun and artillery battles have killed troops and displaced civilians on both sides. Analysts say the US proposal is a strategic move. It aims to stabilize a key Southeast Asian region and reduce the influence of other major powers. The aid would fund shared infrastructure like roads, schools, and health centers, giving both countries a reason for peace. Officials in Bangkok and Phnom Penh have acknowledged the US offer. Neither government has yet accepted the terms publicly. The international community is now watching to see if the promise of development can succeed where diplomacy alone has failed.