ISTANBUL 

Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Friday blamed Cambodia for initiating the latest armed conflict by using "military force first," while imposing martial law in border provinces.

During a speech at the Government House, Phumtham said that the targeting of hospitals and civilian areas by Cambodia is "a severe war crime,” according to The Nation.

The Thai premier also said that the foreign minister briefed the UN chief on the situation and sent a letter to the UN Security Council.

Phumtham said the current events are not "a declaration of war" against Cambodia but "merely a clash along the border," according to a government statement.

Local media reported that authorities imposed martial law in two border provinces, Chanthaburi and Trat, on Friday.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on Friday said that Kuala Lumpur takes the Thailand-Cambodia conflict seriously.

"I believe, as of now, the leaders of both countries appear ready (to cease attacks), but we must remain vigilant as the ASEAN region is geopolitically very strategic," said Anwar, according to The Star.

Anwar also said that Thailand and Cambodia need some time to pull back their troops from the border as part of a ceasefire, state news agency Bernama reported, as cross-border fighting continued for a second day.

The Thai Foreign Ministry, in turn, expressed "full agreement" in principle with Anwar's ceasefire offer and said Bangkok would consider it.

"Any ceasefire must be based on appropriate on-the-ground conditions," it said on its X account.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, meanwhile, said he made it clear to Anwar that Cambodia agreed with his proposal for a ceasefire, but Thailand reversed its initial support for the truce on Thursday.

Thailand and Cambodia have both evacuated their people from border regions.

According to Thailand’s Health Ministry, the death toll has climbed to 15, including one soldier, while Cambodia has confirmed the death of a monk and said five others were injured in airstrikes by Thai air forces on Thursday.

Cambodia and Thailand have downgraded diplomatic ties to their lowest level in decades after tensions between the two countries began rising on May 28, when troops exchanged fire near the border, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

The two Southeast Asian neighbors have a disputed border lying across Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand.