Despite the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, daily life in the border areas remains far from normal. Lingering fear, disrupted livelihoods, and emotional uncertainty continue to grip residents living along the contested frontier.
According to Channel News Asia, recent armed clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have left at least 38 people dead and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate due to fears of escalating violence. Although leaders from both countries reached a ceasefire during talks in Malaysia on July 28, the aftermath of conflict is still deeply felt on both sides of the border.
Fear Lingers in Empty Homes and Markets
Teerawat Saendang, a shopkeeper at Chong Chom Market in Thailand’s Surin province, shared that he had to flee to a relative’s house in Buriram province once fighting began. On the morning of July 29, he returned briefly to assess the condition of his shop.
"I left everything behind for four days. I was very worried about my belongings," he said. "I won’t stay here — I’ll head back to my relative’s house this afternoon. It’s still not safe."
In contrast, some small business owners chose not to evacuate, driven by a sense of responsibility toward their communities. Yuttana Akarapoowadol, who runs a grocery store in Prasat town, explained:
“I want to keep providing food for those who had to flee. If I close, they’ll have nothing to eat.”
For Cambodians, History Repeats Itself
On the Cambodian side of the border, many locals say this isn’t the first time they’ve had to flee due to conflict.
“This is the second time I’ve had to leave my home because of border clashes — the last time was in 2011,” said Ouk Pov, a Cambodian villager. “Back then, a bomb landed near my house. This time, bullets from small arms were flying so low that they hit my roof.”
With the border so close, local leaders in Cambodia urged residents to evacuate immediately as fighting intensified.
Communities Once Connected, Now Divided
Before the conflict erupted, Thai and Cambodian border communities were closely linked through trade and labor. For instance, Yuttana’s shop in Prasat had employed four Cambodian workers — all of whom were forced to return home when hostilities broke out. Though they remain in contact, the daily connections have been severed.
Nathana Aekthananonkul, another merchant in Prasat, expressed sadness over the growing distance between the two peoples:
“It used to be normal for Thais and Cambodians to meet and do business together. Now, politics has driven a wedge between us.”
A Long Road to Peace and Trust
Although gunfire has ceased, anxiety still looms large in these border communities. Rebuilding trust and restoring daily life will take time — and active support from both governments.
International organizations are calling for ongoing dialogue and immediate humanitarian assistance to those affected. They also urge both sides to refrain from reigniting tensions in the near future.
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