Cambodia is to purchase 8 Boeing aircraft from US. Phnom Penh is making a determined attempt to clinch a sweetheart deal with the American president in its ongoing border disputes with Thailand. Traditionally, Cambodia has not been a favorite of Trump who, in June 2025, threatened to cancel all future US visa applications unless the Hun Manet government showed good reason why not. Consequently, Cambodia congratulated Trump on bringing about the July 28 ceasefire with her neighbor and has now become the third country to nominate Trump for the Nobel peace prize after Israel and Pakistan. Cambodian deputy prime minister Sun Chanthol said the nomination also covered Trump’s successes “elsewhere”, a likely reference to the earlier Indian-Pakistani ceasefire at their lines of control. White House press secretary Karoline Leavett stated that the Nobel prize for the US president was already overdue. Trump has historically been critical of Phnom Penh for being in China ‘s economic and political pocket. But earlier this year a US warship was welcomed to Sihanoukville, a port where Chinese investments are heavily concentrated, resulting in Beijing’s near-paranoia about having to share Cambodia’s naval facilities. Cambodia has also thanked Trump for the recent trade deal reducing the threat of 49 or 36 percent tariffs to 19 percent, a move also permitted for Thailand. Sun Chanthol said that Trump had averted the collapse of the Cambodian garment and footwear sector, allowing the country to remain competitive with her peers. Cambodia today (August 4) announced she will purchase from US 8 Boeing 737-800 Max airplanes to be delivered in 2031. A Cambodian woman wears a shirt criticizing Thailand in the border dispute. International observers say Cambodia’s recent pivot to Thailand is likely short-term as she attempts to outmaneuver Thailand in the superpower stakes. China will be watching suspiciously and can easily stall on infrastructure projects such as the Funan Techo Canal or an underground metro system in Phnom Penh. Thailand has been more muted than her neighbor about Donald Trump but is a strategic partner of US and, unlike Phnom Penh, has already bought military hardware, including F-16 jets, which were effectively deployed in the recent border fighting. Thailand was not threatened by Trump in June 2025 with cancelling all future visa applications. Although Cambodia has unilaterally and once again brought Thailand to the International Court of Justice concerning the ownership of border temples, this move is unlike to bear fruit. Neither the United States nor China accept its arbitration, unless they choose to do so, which is precisely the standpoint of Thailand. However, domestic critics of the Pheu Thai administration say that Thailand needs to be more proactive in advancing her case. Jatuporn Prompan, protest leader of the Thai Sovereignty Movement, said it was a mistake to involve third parties in ongoing ceasefire negotiations and that Thailand was losing territory at some temple sites. Ceasefire talks are tentatively scheduled to begin today (August 4) in Malaysia, but vitriol between Bangkok and Cambodia remains too high for comfort.