Fighting resumes between Cambodia and Thailand, but Trump says he will

Surin, Thailand — Renewed border Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia. There were no signs of letting up on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced people in both countries living in difficult conditions as more people flocked to temporary shelters. The comments from the leaders of both countries suggest little immediate momentum for a renewed cessation of violence, although President Trump says he will make a phone call to stop the fighting.

News reporters on the Thai side of the border heard sounds of outgoing indirect fire on Wednesday.

Around 400,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Thailand and around 700 schools closed as fighting continued in four border provinces, Thai military spokesman Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said on Wednesday.

Cambodia evacuated more than 127,000 villagers and hundreds of schools closed, the Defense Ministry said.

Thailand’s military announced that this week’s casualties include five soldiers killed and dozens wounded. Cambodia said seven civilians were killed and 20 others wounded, although it did not update those figures Wednesday.

There is still no clear path to peace, with Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowing to keep fighting and Cambodia’s powerful Senate President Hun Sen promising a fierce response.

A knock-on effect of the fighting and resentment between the nations was Cambodia’s withdrawal of its entire team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which began Tuesday in Thailand. An announcement Wednesday from Cambodia’s National Olympic Committee said it regretted the action but that competitors’ families were concerned for their safety.

Trump says he will ‘make a phone call’ to stop fighting

The new widespread fighting followed a skirmish on Sunday that injured two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire promoted by President Trump which had ended the armed combat in July. Trump has repeatedly included the conflict between those who claim to have ended.

The five days of clashes over territorial disputes left dozens dead on both sides and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians. The ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and was driven by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withdraw trade privileges from the two nations unless they reached an agreement.

At a political event in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night, Trump said he would use his influence to end the renewed fighting.

“I’ll have to make a phone call tomorrow,” he said. “Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war between two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia’?”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously called on both sides to honor commitments made at an October meeting in Malaysia that reaffirmed the July ceasefire and called for removing heavy weapons from the border, coordinating landmine removal and other measures.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said on Wednesday there had not yet been any contact with the United States on the matter. He added that Thailand would probably not agree if another third party proposed to mediate as “the line has been crossed.”

The ceasefire was fragile from the start, as both nations waged a bitter propaganda war and minor incidents of cross-border violence continued.

Thailand has deployed fighter jets to carry out airstrikes against what it says are military targets, while Cambodia’s most fearsome weapons are BM-21 rocket launchers with a range of 30 to 40 kilometers. They are capable of firing volleys of 40 rockets at a time and, mounted on trucks, are less vulnerable to attack.

A statement from the Thai military said Cambodia fired about 125 salvos from BM-21 launchers on Tuesday totaling about 5,000 rockets and that some had hit civilian areas, although no casualties were reported.

Thai evacuees stuck in shelters and anxious about what comes next

Far from the battle fronts, anxious evacuees are the most visible sign of the crisis.

At a gym in the northeastern Thai city of Surin, about 550 people wait for the fighting to end, many of whom hastily fled after the first shots were fired on Sunday.

Officials have provided food and entertainment for the children. Colder winter temperatures have made the situation at the shelter bearable, but boredom and worry about what they left behind, including homes, valuables and animals, is inevitable.

Thidarat Homhual, a 37-year-old farmer who is at the shelter with her family, said her mind is on the cows, the ducks, the four dogs and nine cats that were left to fend for themselves.

“We are behind the front line. We can live like this. It’s okay,” he said. “But I want this to be over. I miss my pets. I really miss my pets, all the animals at home. I really can’t put it into words.”