BANGKOK (Reuters) -Preliminary talks between Thailand and Cambodia defense officials started on Monday in Malaysia ahead of a key ministerial level meeting on Thursday, as a fragile truce continues to hold a week after the two sides agreed on a ceasefire.

Thailand and Cambodia reaffirmed their fragile ceasefire on Wednesday after days of deadly clashes along their shared border and despite accusations of the truce being violated. The two neighbours agreed at a meeting in Malaysia on Monday to an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire to stop nearly a week of fighting that killed at least 41 people,