00:00Well, the words of Thailand's acting Prime Minister Pumtam Weichichai says it all, really, about the severity of the situation.
00:07Speaking to reporters today, he said the situation is escalating and that civilian lives are being endangered.
00:15I think it's important also to emphasize that he made the point that this is still considered an armed clash with heavy weaponry,
00:22but it could turn into something much bigger, in his own words, potentially a war,
00:27and that Thailand is committed to defending its territory and sovereignty.
00:31Now, following Thursday's violence, the Thai army said today Cambodian forces conducted sustained bombardments and that it responded appropriately.
00:42There was also shelling overnight, and Cambodian media is reporting that it has claimed control of two disputed temples.
00:49Thailand has rejected mediation efforts from third countries to end the crisis.
00:53It's insisting that Phnom Penh cease attacks and resolve matters bilaterally.
00:59Here's Thailand's Foreign Minister Nekonde Balancoura.
01:02It's premature for me to say how long the conflict would end.
01:07You know, Thailand wants the conflict to end as soon as possible.
01:11That's, you know, the wish of the Thai government, the Thai people.
01:15I wouldn't be able to foresee the timing.
01:20It's very much up to the Cambodian side, I would say, at this point.
01:26Meanwhile, the fighting has drawn condemnation from leaders around the world.
01:31The United States is urging an immediate ceasefire and for civilians to be protected,
01:36and for a peaceful resolution to the situation as well.
01:39The dispute, if you remember, was triggered by the killing of a Cambodian soldier at an undemarcated area in May.
01:47But it spiraled into a political crisis and led to the suspension of Thailand's Prime Minister Patong Thanh Shinawat.
01:54That was following a leaked phone call in which she was accused of undermining Thailand's military.
02:00A prolonged conflict could further complicate matters for Thailand's leader.
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