US President Donald Trump has said that he would "make a phone call" to stop the renewed border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.
"I hate to say this one, named Cambodia-Thailand and it started up today and tomorrow I am going to have to make a phone call. Who else could say I'm going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia," Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania.
More than 500,000 people have been displaced in both countries since clashes resumed earlier this week. The renewed hostilities broke the peace deal signed in the presence of Trump in Kuala Lumpur in October.
Fatal skirmishes erupted along the border on Monday, with each government accusing the other of breaching the July ceasefire.
Cambodia reported nine civilian deaths and 46 injuries since Monday, while Thailand said four of its soldiers were killed and 68 were wounded.
Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen said: "Cambodia wants peace, but Cambodia is forced to fight back to defend its territory." He added that Cambodian forces had held their fire on Monday but retaliated overnight.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Tuesday that Cambodia had not reached out to Bangkok for talks. "We've got to do what we've got to do," he said, noting that military operations would continue as planned.
Tensions have been escalating since November, when a Thai soldier was wounded by a landmine that Bangkok alleged was planted by Cambodian forces-a claim Phnom Penh rejects.
