The deadly conflict on the Thai-Cambodian border pits a longtime United States ally with decades of experience against a relatively young armed force with close ties to China.

By bno - Ho Chi Minh Office The current flare-up between Thailand and Cambodia feels different from previous disputes. What initially appeared to be a limited skirmish over disputed borderland and nationalist rhetoric now carries the faint,

"The U.S. already flunked the test and that should be a wakeup call," a former senior U.S. State Department official told Newsweek.

Vietnam is concerned about the current escalation of tensions in the border area between Cambodia and Thailand, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on July 24.

At least a dozen people were killed after the two countries exchanged fire after simmering tensions over a border dispute boiled over on Thursday.