Fighting that erupted this week along the frontier between Thailand and Cambodia left villages smoldering and dozens dead, prompting both governments to announce emergency talks in Bangkok on Sunday evening aimed at halting the violence and preventing a wider confrontation.

The clashes, centered in the contested area around the Preah Vihear plateau and adjacent borderlands, have been the worst between the neighbors in years, according to local officials and humanitarian agencies. Thai and Cambodian officials said military units exchanged artillery and small-arms fire over three days as both sides accused the other of violating the frontier. Hospitals on both sides reported treating scores of wounded and evacuating civilians from villages close to the line of contact.

“We cannot accept the loss of civilian life and will pursue an immediate cessation of hostilities,” said a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson, announcing that foreign ministry and defence officials from both countries would meet in the Thai capital “to agree concrete steps to de-escalate and address humanitarian needs.” Cambodia confirmed its delegation would be led by a senior minister and military advisers, and vowed to press for an urgent ceasefire and protection for affected civilians.

The talks come amid a long, fraught history over territorial claims and national pride. The Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been a flashpoint since the International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962; intermittent skirmishes have flared repeatedly in subsequent decades. Observers say underlying issues such as contested border demarcation, troop deployments, and nationalist politics in both capitals have continued to make the area volatile.

Analysts cautioned that any agreement would need to address not only immediate cessation of fire but also mechanisms for joint patrolling, verification and demining. “A ceasefire without a durable process for joint management will be fragile,” said Aran Phan, a regional security expert based in Bangkok. “Trust-building measures and neutral monitoring will be essential.”

ASEAN, the United Nations and neighbouring states called for calm. An ASEAN statement urged both parties to refrain from actions that could escalate the situation and to resolve disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. A UN spokesperson in New York said the secretary-general was “deeply concerned” and called on leaders to protect civilians and cooperate with humanitarian agencies.

Humanitarian organizations warned of immediate needs. Aid workers on the Thai side described crowded makeshift shelters and shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies. “People fled with little more than the clothes on their backs,” a volunteer with an international relief group said. “There are children and elderly among the displaced who need urgent care.”

Domestic politics in both countries may complicate negotiations. Nationalist sentiment has surged in Thailand and Cambodia in recent years, and political leaders face pressure to appear resolute. Diplomats say careful, culturally aware diplomacy — acknowledging historical grievances while emphasizing mutual gains from stability — will be crucial to avoid a spiral into broader conflict.

Separately, in Dhaka, opposition leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said there had been “no discussion” about banning the Jatiyo Party amid Bangladesh’s own political tensions, underscoring how domestic political flashpoints continue to preoccupy governments across the region even as they confront cross-border crises.