Indonesia , which holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has called for an immediate end to the violence along the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia .

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Kusuma Habir, said in a statement released to reporters on April 23 that Indonesia called on the two sides to make greater effort to peacefully solve border disputes.

She added that Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa is discussing with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts on the latest developments in the disputed border.

On April 23, troops from Thailand and Cambodia continued exchanging fires surrounding the Ta Mon Thom and Ta Krabek temples and in Chub Korki along the disputed border stretch in Odda Meanchey province.

Cambodian Defence Minister spokesperson Chhum Socheat said “Clashes have been escalating as Thai military used modern weapons such as heavy and machine-guns and mortars to fire at the temples and civilians’ houses in the area”.

Oddar Meanchey Governor Pich Sokhin said trucks have evacuated 595 families in the surrounding area to safer places some 30km away from the scene. He added clashes were still going on by 9h10 this morning and some Cambodian soldiers were killed.

However both sides have not yet released the injured and death tolls.

It was the second flare-up of fires in the last two days with the first one lasting four hours which cost both sides the lives of six soldiers and injured dozens of civilians.

Regarding the case, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong has sent a letter to the UN Security Council chair, accusing Thailand of “attacking the Cambodian territory with assorted weapons”.

On April 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei called on the two sides to keep calm, restrain themselves and resolve disputes through negotiations.

The Singaporean Foreign Ministry has also expressed concerns over the fighting along the Thailand-Cambodia border and called on the two sides to keep calm and sit down for negotiations. The ministry said in a statement that it would back efforts made by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marti Natalegawa who had contacted the two sides after the April 22 clash.

Indonessia in the capacity of ASEAN chair has made great effort to help Thailand and Cambodia conduct negotiations on border disputes./.