The fighting between Thailand and Cambodia exposes the depth of global arms proliferation in South-East Asia, proving more sophisticated and deadly than experts expected.

First came a push from the Malaysian premier, then China reached out, but it was only after President Donald Trump called Thailand's leader last week that Bangkok agreed to talks with Cambodia to end an escalating military conflict.

While Thailand and Cambodia have reached a temporary ceasefire in their border conflict, it is unlikely to hold as the conflict’s escalation is driven by Thai and Cambodian elites’ efforts to