Cambodia withdrew on Wednesday from the Southeast Asian Games, an Olympic official said, as a border conflict with hosts Thailand escalated and forced a mass exodus of civilians from both sides of the disputed frontier.

The SEA Games are known for inclusion of non-Olympic sports from the region such sepak takraw, foot volleyball played with a rattan ball and pencak silat, a martial art popular in Indonesia.

Indonesia defeated Thailand 5-2 in extra time in a bad-tempered men's final in Phnom Penh on Tuesday that saw four players sent off and two mass brawls.

The Cambodian runner has become a star of the Southeast Asian Games since her gritty performance in the 5,000m. Although she came last, her determination to finish the race under torrential rain charmed the country and even won plaudits from Prime Minister Hun Sen.