Thailand's army sent home two Cambodian soldiers from a group of 20 on Friday, ahead of a key meeting in Malaysia next week where defence ministers and military commanders will hold talks aimed at maintaining a ceasefire along their disputed border.

Long-simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia escalated to deadly violence on July 24, setting off five days of military clashes at multiple spots along the roughly 800-kilometer (500 mile) border.

The ceasefire reached in Malaysia was supposed to take effect at midnight on Monday, but it was quickly tested as Thailand and Cambodia continued to accuse each other of violating the truce agreements.