AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
The Thai government says it will meet with Cambodia and Malaysia tomorrow for ceasefire talks to end a conflict that has left dozens dead over the past four days. This comes after President Trump spoke to leaders of both countries, urging them to solve their differences peacefully. He also noted their failure to do so would not bode well for either, with heavy U.S. tariffs looming for both on August 1. Joining me now from Chiang Rai, Thailand, is reporter Michael Sullivan. Good morning, Michael.
MICHAEL SULLIVAN, BYLINE: Good morning.
RASCOE: So what's been the reaction to President Trump's effort?
SULLIVAN: Well, it's been mixed, actually. I mean, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet publicly welcomed President Trump's proposal for what the prime minister called an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. While Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said he was thankful for Trump's concern but wanted to focus on a bilateral solution to begin withdrawing troops and long-range weapons from the conflict areas. So a slightly less enthusiastic response. And meanwhile, the two sides have been pounding each other with artillery for a fourth straight day.
RASCOE: The fighting hasn't stopped yet.
SULLIVAN: No, both sides say artillery exchanges began again early this morning along the disputed border. And alarmingly, it spread yesterday from the border areas to Thailand's coastal province of Trat, more than 200 miles to the south, which is a popular beach destination for foreigners and locals alike. Now, the fighting didn't reach the tourist areas, and Thailand is adamant it won't. But in four days of fighting so far, Thai authorities say more than 130,000 people have been evacuated from their homes near the border with Cambodian officials saying about 35,000 have been displaced.
RASCOE: Remind us again, what exactly prompted this fighting?
SULLIVAN: Well, this latest round of tension started when a Cambodian soldier was shot and killed in one of the contested areas back in May, and it's built slowly since then with ultra-nationalists on both sides fanning the flames. And on Wednesday, a Thai soldier lost his leg when he stepped on a mine while on patrol in the disputed area, a mine Thailand claimed was recently laid. Something Phnom Penh denies. And the next day, the fighting started in earnest.
RASCOE: But this area has been contested for a long time, hasn't it?
SULLIVAN: Yeah, for decades, really. I mean, it's an area home to a number of religious sites - temples, mainly - that both sides claim as their own. And an ambiguous map drawn by the French when they were the colonial power here hasn't helped. The last spate of serious violence was in 2011 when more than a dozen people on both sides died.
RASCOE: How long can this go on? And what's the possibility that it will escalate despite Trump's effort here?
SULLIVAN: It's not clear, but what is clear is that Cambodia is seriously overmatched here. They just don't have the firepower or the air power to compete with Thailand's far more sophisticated arsenal of weapons. For instance, the Thais this week have been using U.S.-made F-16 fighters and Swedish Gripens against Cambodian positions. And the Cambodians just don't have much of an answer. They don't have any combat aircraft to speak of, and it's hard to see them lasting very long without a ceasefire. What we still don't know, though, is how things got so bad so quickly, and it's already scaring off foreign tourists and investors.
RASCOE: Reporter Michael Sullivan in Chiang Rai. Thanks so much for speaking with us today.
SULLIVAN: You're welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF MODESELEKTOR AND THOM YORKE SONG, "SHIPWRECK") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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