The trigger for the clashes was a mine explosion along the border on Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers and led to the expulsion of Cambodia's ambassador.

Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed along the border between their countries on Thursday in a major escalation that left at least 14 people dead, mostly civilians.

A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed targets in Cambodia, both sides said, as weeks of tension over a border dispute escalated into clashes on Thursday that have killed at least 12 people, including 11 civilians.