TRANSCRIPT
Homes in Thailand have been hit by artillery fire from Cambodia's army following renewed armed conflict between the two countries.
Both countries say they will not back down in defending their sovereignty.
Each side is blaming the other for starting the latest clashes and it remains uncertain how a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump in July could be saved.
The fighting is the most serious since a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery in July.
At least 48 people were killed and 300,000 displaced before Trump intervened to bring about a truce.
In villages along the border, residents have evacuated, though security guards have stayed behind to protect people's homes.
At a village in Thailand's northeastern Buriram province, the thudding sounds of blasts have become a daily reality for Wuttikrai Chimngarm.
"I have to stay behind. I'm the head of the village, if not me then who? Who will be safeguarding the houses and belongings of the villagers from looters? I'm the leader, and all the village security guards have to stick together."
Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen says his country waited 24 hours to honour the ceasefire and allow for evacuations before launching counterattacks overnight against Thai forces.
Cambodia says it's open to immediate bilateral talks with Thailand to bring a halt to the fighting along much of their 817-km land border.
Suos Yara, senior adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet says Cambodia is open to immediate bilateral talks with Thailand to bring a halt to the conflict.
"Let's say one hour from now, both sides agree to be on the table and then start the communication route, and a truth table, then this would be a very good idea. They always ask for the bilateral. Then now is a good time for bilateral talks. And then both sides extend the hand, and we start talking again, even not shaking hands, but we can chanting through the Buddhism way, and then both sides will accept. No blame game, no losing face, so people will work together on this base and fair level of playing field."
Thailand has a large and well-funded military that dwarfs that of Cambodia, with triple the active armed forces personnel and a 2024 defence budget allocation that was four times bigger than its neighbour's.
Thailand Defence Ministry Spokesman Rear Admiral Surasat Kongsiri says military measures will continue.
“Thailand is determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and therefore military measures must be taken as necessary to protect Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century of contested sovereignty at various un-demarcated points along their 817km land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.
That map, which Thailand later contested, was based on an agreement that the border be demarcated along the natural watershed line between the two countries.
In 2000, they agreed to establish a commission to peacefully address overlapping claims, but little progress has been made.
