Thailand moved toward a possible snap election as early as February after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul secured royal approval to dissolve parliament, averting a looming no-confidence vote amid escalating border tensions with Cambodia.

The election, due within 45 to 60 days, raises the spectre of even more turmoil in Thailand, where coups and court rulings over two decades have brought down elected governments in an intractable power struggle of elites and progressive forces.

Anutin’s move comes as the military conflict between Thailand and Cambodia entered its fifth day, with at least 20 killed, more than 260 wounded and hundreds of thousands displaced.

The Thai premier said he had a call scheduled late on Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump, who intervened in July to broker

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