Thailand and Cambodia begin talks to end deadly clashes after venue row

Cambodian and Thai officials began four days of talks at a border checkpoint on Wednesday, intended to negotiate an end to the deadly clashes between the two countries, Phnom Penh said, The Daily Baku reports, citing The Guardian.

The meeting in Thailand's Chanthaburi province had been at risk after Phnom Penh demanded a switch to a neutral venue.

The Cambodian government, however, posted a picture of the two defence delegations in a simply-furnished meeting room and said the talks had begun, seeking to "ensure the cessation of hostilities", restore stability and "facilitate a swift return to normalcy".

The neighbours' long-standing border conflict reignited this month, shattering an earlier truce, killing more than 40 people and displacing around a million, officials have said.

Talks are expected to run until Saturday, and the Thai defence ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri told reporters that Bangkok was "very hopeful that the meeting will have positive outcomes".