Cambodia-Thailand border conflict: Why the escalation despite Trump-brokered deal?
Description
It turns out that it's not enough to stage peace signings. Half a million people are displaced as fighting rages along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, a resurgence of July's five-day conflict that Donald Trump counts as one of the eight wars in eight months he's ended. We ask why the return to fighting has occurred and examine the root causes of a dispute that's more than a century old and seems to require more than a stroke of the pen to settle. First, who to broker a cessation of hostilities now?
This as the old guard on both sides enjoy free rein: Cambodia's Hun Sen, who's officially no longer head of government but whose shadow looms large, and Thai generals who have a habit of taking the lead in times of crisis.
As for the Thai prime minister, he's otherwise engaged. Anutin Charnvirakul has paid a late-night visit to the king, followed by his strongest hint yet that he'll soon move up elections scheduled for March. We ask why and where it all leads.
Produced by François Picard, Charles Wente, Rebecca Gnignati, Ilayda Habip & Jean-Vincent Russo
United States
