Thai army accuses Cambodia of violating truce

SURIN, Thailand: Thailand's army accused Cambodia Tuesday (Jul 29) of violating an hours-old truce, saying clashes continued despite a deal meant to end the bloody fighting that has engulfed their jungle-clad frontier.

Following peace talks in Malaysia on Monday, both sides agreed that an unconditional ceasefire would start at midnight to end fighting over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along their 800km border.

"At the time the agreement took effect, the Thai side detected that Cambodian forces had launched armed attacks into several areas within Thai territory," said Thai army spokesman Winthai Suwaree.

"This constitutes a deliberate violation of the agreement and a clear attempt to undermine mutual trust, he added in a statement.

"Thailand is compelled to respond appropriately, exercising its legitimate right to self-defence."

In Cambodia's Samraong city - 20km from the border - an AFP journalist said the sound of blasts stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing until dawn.

"The frontline has eased since the ceasefire at 12 midnight," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning.

Jets, rockets and artillery have killed at least 38 people since last Thursday and displaced nearly 300,000 more - prompting intervention from United States President Donald Trump over the weekend.

The flare-up was the deadliest since violence raged sporadically from 2008 to 2011 over the territory, claimed by both because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907.

The peace deal was set to see military commanders from both sides meet at 7am (8am, Singapore time), before a cross-border committee is convened in Cambodia to further salve tensions on Aug 4.

"GOOD FAITH"

A joint statement from both countries - as well as Malaysia, which hosted the peace talks - said the ceasefire was "a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security".

A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Monday evening that "he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing long-standing issues and achieving lasting peace".

Both sides are courting Trump for trade deals to avert his threat of eye-watering tariffs, and the US State Department said its officials had been "on the ground" to shepherd peace talks.

The joint statement said China also had "active participation" in the talks, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN bloc chair Anwar Ibrahim in his country's administrative capital Putrajaya.

Hun Manet thanked Trump for his "decisive" support, while his counterpart, Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, said it should be "carried out in good faith by both sides".