Thailand’s Parliament was dissolved Friday for new elections early next year in a country engaged in deadly fighting with Cambodia.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had signaled the move with a Facebook post late Thursday saying: “I’d like to return power to the people.”

He told reporters in Bangkok earlier on Friday that his decision was based on the main opposition People's Party withdrawal of support in parliament.

He was speaking at Government House, where he also presided over a Merit-making ceremony on Friday, in tribute to the late Queen Mother Sirikit, who died in October.

Anutin won the September vote in Parliament with support from the People’s Party in exchange for a promise to dissolve Parliament within four months and organize a referendum on the drafting of a new constitution by an elected constituent assembly.

"You made me prime minister and then you said you wouldn't support me anymore. You asked me to dissolve Parliament, so I did it as you asked, in good faith, and I followed the process properly," Anutin said.

The election must be held 45 to 60 days after the royal endorsement, a period during which Anutin will head a caretaker government with limited powers that cannot approve a new budget.

His action comes at a tricky political moment, as Thailand is engaged in large-scale combat with Cambodia over long-disputed border claims. About two dozen people were reported killed in the fighting this week, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced on both sides.

The fighting is a resumption of hostilities after five days of conflict in July, after which U.S. President Donald Trump pushed the two countries to agree on a ceasefire by threatening to withhold trade privileges from them.

Anutin told the media that he is scheduled to speak to President Trump Friday evening local time.

"He will probably ask how's the situation now, because the last time I talked to him was when I was in China, about a month ago. So I think I'll update him. But about the decisions to next steps, the Thai government has supported and authorized the military to take care of it."

Trump has vowed again to make peace between them after widespread fighting flared up again this week. If he employs the cudgel of high tariffs on Thai exports should Thailand fail to comply with his peacemaking effort comply, it could cause serious damage to its already sluggish economy.