ANKARA

Thousands of Cambodians on Wednesday joined a "solidarity march" in the capital Phnom Penh amid mounting border tensions with neighboring Thailand, the daily Khmer Times reported on Wednesday.

The march was organized to express support for the Cambodian government and forces in the ongoing border dispute with Thailand, triggered by the death of a Cambodian soldier last month.

According to the newspaper, around 150,000 people joined the march, including the Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, who led the rally.

Addressing the march, Hun said Cambodians will not remain silent if there is any insult to the honor and territorial integrity of Cambodia.

"We will stand together in spirit to support the Royal Government of Cambodia and our national forces in protecting the territorial integrity, protecting national interests, and protecting the peace of the nation," he added.

However, "we choose to resolve all of Cambodia’s problems peacefully and on the basis of law,” he said.

Tensions between two Southeast Asian nations escalated on May 28 when troops from Thailand and Cambodia exchanged gunfire along their border.

One Cambodian soldier was killed during the 10-minute clash in a disputed area between Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province.

The two sides have issued conflicting statements on who initiated the gunfire.

Cambodia has taken the border dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

*Writing by Aamir Latif