What prompted the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?

The clashes erupted near the Hindu temple Khmer, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning, reports Telegrafi, broadcast Periscope.

Both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of opening fire first.

The Thai army said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple and had placed a monitoring threat before sending troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers.

Cambodia has denied claims, with its national defence ministry saying it was the Thai army that launched the first armed attack.

Thailand's army said it had closed all border control points, and that fighting was taking place in six different countries.

Cambodia's military has launched attacks targeting civilian areas in Thailand, including a hospital, causing casualties, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Thursday, urging its neighbour to discontinue actions he called serious violations of international law.

Thailand “is prepared to intensify its self-defence measures, if Cambodia continues in its armed attack and violations of Thailand's sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles”, the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier Thursday, Cambodia said it was lowering diplomatic relations with Thailand at their lowest level, ousting Thai ambassador and withdrawing all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok.

This was in response to the closure of the northeast border crossings with Cambodia from Thailand, the withdrawal of its ambassador and the expulsion of Cambodian ambassador Wednesday in protest of a land mine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers.

The weapons between Cambodia and Thailand, which have continued to escalate in recent months, were initially sparked after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May in an armed confrontation in an area both countries claim to be theirs. /Periscope/