MALAYSIA and Thailand have pledged to intensify collaboration on disaster preparedness, technical education, and halal industry development, even as fighting flared once again along their shared border with Cambodia, resulting in multiple casualties and mass displacement.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said both countries would enhance meteorological data sharing, early warning systems, inter-agency coordination, and joint training to address escalating risks from floods, storms, and other climate-related hazards.
“This TVET cooperation can increase employment opportunities, strengthen human capital development and support economic growth in both countries,” he added, referring to technical and vocational education initiatives spanning manufacturing, agriculture, and digital technology.
Zahid also noted agreements to boost collaboration in the halal sector, including developing investment value chains, halal products, and joint export opportunities.
“Malaysia welcomed Thailand’s interest in exploring halal potential more comprehensively, given the increasing global demand,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, is on a working visit to Thailand until tomorrow and led the Malaysian delegation to the 14th ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication.
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring regional safety and stability, calling for the protection of civilians and adherence to international law amid the renewed border tensions.
Meanwhile, clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border on Thursday claimed at least 15 lives, including Thai soldiers and Cambodian civilians, forcing over half a million people, mostly in Thailand, to flee the conflict zones. The confrontations stem from longstanding colonial-era border disputes over historic temples along the 800-kilometre frontier, with gunfire and artillery explosions reported near centuries-old sites.
The current outbreak of violence is the most severe since a five-day conflict in July that killed dozens before a fragile ceasefire was brokered following intervention by US President Donald Trump. Trump announced plans to engage both leaders to demand an immediate cessation of hostilities.
UNESCO has expressed concern for cultural heritage protection, particularly around Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has previously been the focus of military confrontations between 2008 and 2011.
The renewed fighting has displaced more than 101,000 people in Cambodia and over 400,000 in Thailand, with emergency shelters established in universities and other facilities.
Zahid stressed that Malaysia continues to work closely with Thailand and Cambodia to uphold the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, safeguard border communities, and maintain a secure and resilient ASEAN region. – December 11, 2025
