Comments by Phumtham Wechayachai come as death toll climbs to 16 on second day of clashes along contested border

Full report: 100,000 Thai civilians evacuate

Thailand’s acting prime minister warned that cross-border clashes with Cambodia “could develop into war” amid the second day of trading strikes.

Phumtham Wechayachai, cited by AFP, told reporters in Bangkok:

If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.