Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire holds amid Catholic bishops’ peace appeals

CNA Newsroom, Jul 29, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

A fragile ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia appears to be holding firm as Pope Leo XIV and Catholic bishops from both nations called for prayer, peace, and protection for displaced families caught in the crossfire.

The “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire took effect at midnight Tuesday local time following five days of deadly border clashes along the disputed 500-mile frontier that claimed at least 33 lives and displaced more than 260,000 people, the BBC reported.

The deal was brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Signs of stability emerged along the border by Tuesday afternoon, with some displaced families beginning to return home, according to AP.

On Sunday, Pope Leo prayed “for those affected by the clashes along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially displaced children and families,” during his Angelus address.

Bishops sound sustained call for calm

Catholic leaders across both nations called for peace and provided humanitarian relief throughout the crisis.

Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondarattana, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, expressed “profound concern” over the conflict in an interview published by Vatican News on July 26.

“The Church unequivocally condemns all acts of violence against civilians,” Arpondarattana stated. “We reiterate that international humanitarian law must be respected, and that noncombatants — including women, children, and the elderly — must always be protected.”

The archbishop warned against the dangers of “extreme nationalism” and criticized how border tensions “may be manipulated to stoke nationalist sentiments” while placing “short-term political opportunism” above genuine peace-building efforts.

In Cambodia, Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, the apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, issued an urgent appeal to the Catholic community on July 26, calling for special prayers during Sunday Masses for “the dead and wounded, for all those who have had to flee their homes quickly to seek refuge from the bombings,” AsiaNews reported.

“Prayer is our only weapon and our only shield today,” Schmitthaeusler declared, urging Catholics to pray for political leaders to “immediately begin a process of dialogue that will put an end to this border conflict.”

Church mobilizes humanitarian response

The Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees, established by the Thai Bishops’ Conference, has been providing essential supplies, humanitarian assistance, and spiritual comfort to those affected by the violence.

Arpondarattana emphasized the Church’s commitment to ordinary people in border areas who “suffer displacement, loss of livelihoods, and constant threats of violence,” adding that the Catholic faith “calls us to recognize the inherent dignity of every human being, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.”

Ibrahim announced that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will deploy an observer team to monitor compliance with the ceasefire.