A CEASEFIRE between Thailand and Cambodia appeared to hold today, though tensions lingered despite a truce agreement to end deadly border clashes.

The ceasefire that was reached in Malaysia was supposed to take effect at midnight, but was quickly tested. The Thai army accused Cambodia of launching attacks in multiple areas early this morning, but Cambodia said there was no firing in any location.

The Thai army later said fighting had stopped after military commanders along the border from both sides met. They agreed to halt troop movements, avoid escalation and establish co-ordination teams ahead of a joint border committee meeting in Cambodia on August 4, Thai army spokesman Major General Winthai Suvaree said.

Along the border, there were signs of calm, with some of the more than 260,000 people displaced by the fighting returning to their homes.

Residents on both sides of the border expressed relief about the ceasefire but remained wary, unsure how long the peace would last.

“I am very concerned that new fighting may break out. Thailand often provokes the fighting first, but then accuses Cambodia,” said Soklang Slay, as he helped his daughter move back into her home in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchay province, where heavy fighting had occurred.

In Thailand’s Surin province, village chief Kritsada Jindasri said he heard heavy firing and explosions on Monday night before silence fell at midnight.

“We are still cautious. We still don’t totally believe [that it would stop]. We still wait to assess the situation,” said Kitsada, who had stayed back along with 60 other community leaders after some 400 villagers evacuated last week.