Buriram: Border schools in Buriram Province are actively conducting evacuation drills and enhancing bomb shelters as tensions rise over the Thai-Cambodian conflict. Residents of Nam Yuen District in Ubon Ratchathani Province express growing concern about the situation.
According to Thai News Agency, the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia over the overlapping area of Chong Bok in Nam Yuen District, which serves as a junction between Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos in the “Emerald Triangle,” has prompted heightened security measures. The area, covering 12 square kilometers, is a focal point of concern for local communities.
In Ban Kruat District, Buriram Province, which borders Cambodia, residents recall the 2011 clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers that brought significant turmoil. The community, particularly those in Chong Sai Taku, Tambon Chanthaphet, are apprehensive about the potential severity of another conflict. Schools in the area remain operational but have renovated bunkers and conducted evacuation drills as mandated by the Ministry of Education. Parents express anxiety, remembering how 21 bombs previously landed in their village during past conflicts.
Similarly, in Ubon Ratchathani Province, the villagers of Paet Um, Dom Pradit Subdistrict, Nam Yuen District, who have faced past unrest and endure the legacy of Cambodian landmines, share their distrust of the current situation. They express skepticism about media reports suggesting a gradual calming of tensions, citing historical suspicions and the lack of backing down by involved parties. The hope is that mediator-led negotiations could offer a peaceful resolution.