Sawt Falasteen - Cambodian evacuees sheltering in temple pray for end to Thai clashes

The deadliest fighting in over a decade between the two neighbours has sent thousands of villagers fleeing the border zone in Cambodia.

As artillery clashes erupted Thursday, Salou Chan, 36, grabbed some belongings, clothes, his two kids, and sped away from his home, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from disputed temples on the frontline.

"I fear for the safety of my children, they are still small. For me, I could have stayed at home, but I worried for my children -- they were scared of the sound of gunfire," he told AFP.

"I don't know when I will be able to return home but I want them to stop fighting soon. Nobody's looking after my rice paddy and livestock."

He and his family have joined hundreds of others in the grounds of the temple in Oddar Meanchey province.

With no proper shelter, most sit on the bare ground and rig up makeshift tents with plastic sheeting.

The evacuees have only the food and water they brought with them to sustain them while they wait for the chance to go home.

- 'Praying this will end' -

A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting on Thursday with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops doing battle, and more exchanges on Friday.

Thailand says more than 138,000 people have been evacuated from its border regions, and 15 people killed.

Cambodia has been more tight-lipped about casualties, though Oddar Meanchey provincial authorities reported one civilian -- a 70-year-old man -- had been killed and five more wounded.

Chhorn Khik, 55, who fled to the pagoda with her two grandchildren, said she was relieved to have escaped the conflict zone.

"I am no longer scared. Yesterday I was so scared, I was crying along the way," she told AFP.

"I feel pity for the soldiers at the frontline. We are scared, but we could escape, but those soldiers, they are fighting for us and the nation."

Thailand has said it is willing to start talks but also warned that the conflict could develop into a full-blown war if Cambodia is not willing to de-escalate.

Yoeun Rai, 55, who fled with 10 of her family, said she was so anxious she could not eat.

"I am praying this will end soon so that we can go back home," she told AFP.

A.Suleiman--SF-PST