Heavy fighting between Thailand and Cambodia along their shared border has forced over 100,000 people to evacuate their homes, marking the worst clashes between the two countries in more than a decade.
Thousands of evacuees from four Thai border provinces sought safety in temporary shelters like the sports hall at Surindra Rajabhat University in Surin province. There, nearly 3,000 people crowded onto plastic mats with few belongings, having fled sudden artillery bombardments and gunfire that shattered their communities.
One evacuee, 37-year-old Thidarat Homhuan, described the chaos as she rushed children into a school bunker during the attacks. She worries about her home, livestock, and crops left behind, but says the shelter feels safer despite the uncertainty.
The university quickly transformed into a full evacuation center, canceling classes and working with local hospitals to care for those with chronic health issues and provide mental health support for trauma victims.
The clashes have already resulted in at least 14 deaths on the Thai side, including civilians killed by rockets, and one confirmed death in Cambodia. Fighting continues near the border, causing anxiety among evacuees about when it will be safe to return home.
The conflict centers around long-standing territorial disputes, including control over temples and border lands, such as the contested Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple. Both sides have exchanged artillery fire and airstrikes, with Thailand deploying fighter jets in response to attacks.
On the Cambodian side, approximately 20,000 people have fled northern border areas into makeshift shelters. Officials warn that the situation remains volatile, and both governments express hopes for a diplomatic solution, although the risk of a wider conflict looms.
The recent escalation has drawn international concern, as residents in affected border areas live in fear and uncertainty, relying on their governments for protection and a swift end to the violence.
For now, displaced families like Thidarat’s remain in crowded shelters, waiting anxiously for peace and the chance to rebuild their lives.
