Under Fire in Sa Kaeo: 19,000 Civilians Flee as Border Clashes Escalate
Border tensions along Thailand’s eastern edge have reached their 13th day, with relentless exchanges in three rural villages of Sa Kaeo Province. Thai forces, backed by artillery and air support, have pressed forward even as thousands of residents remain displaced in makeshift shelters.
Quick Brief
• 3 frontline hotspots—Ban Khlong Phang, Ban Nong Ya Kaew, Ban Nong Chan—witness heavy cross-border fire
• Royal Thai Air Force jets strike Cambodian artillery emplacements near Poipet and Sri Sopon
• 64 Thai soldiers injured, 4 killed since December 8
• 18,874 evacuees housed in 41 temporary shelters across four districts
• Thai diplomats prepare key proposals for the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on December 22
Frontline Pressure in Three Villages
In the sprawling farmland of Ta Phraya District, Ban Khlong Phang has become a focal point for Thai ground units. Using coordinated maneuvers and 155 mm artillery fire, they have steadily advanced across open terrain, seeking to dislodge entrenched Cambodian detachments that continue to unleash BM-21 rockets and grenade launcher rounds.
Southward in Khok Sung District, the villages of Ban Nong Ya Kaew and Ban Nong Chan mirror the same grim pattern. Thai infantry, supported by mobile howitzers, aim to tighten control of the dirt roads and cassava fields. Cambodian forces, having stockpiled additional mortars and recoilless rifles, remain dug in, trading barrages that echo through the dry dipterocarp woodland.
The flat landscape—crisscrossed by seasonal klong channels and dotted with abandoned mine craters—offers little cover, turning each skirmish into an artillery duel at close range.
Air Strikes and Tactical Response
Responding to what commanders describe as a direct threat to military and civilian safety, the Royal Thai Air Force launched precision strikes against suspected weapons depots and artillery pits around Poipet and Sri Sopon. Pilots reported neutralizing multiple gun emplacements without endangering nearby non-combatants.
A Thai military spokesman emphasized the operation’s adherence to rules of engagement and international self-defense obligations. Meanwhile, field medics confirmed one new injury among Thai ranks, keeping the cumulative toll at 64 wounded and 4 fatalities since the clashes began on December 8.
Life in Evacuation Centers
For people displaced by the fighting, daily life has shifted to hastily converted schools, temples and community halls. The provincial government, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, has established ศูนย์พักพิงชั่วคราว in four border districts, accommodating 18,874 evacuees.
Basic necessities—from hot meals via a royal field kitchen to bottled water and blankets—are in good supply. Yet many families fret over livestock left behind and stalled harvests. Social workers conduct evening recreational activities and mental-health screenings, especially for the elderly and young mothers, to alleviate stress and anxiety.
Diplomatic Maneuvers
As guns roar along the border, Bangkok’s foreign-policy team is mounting a global campaign. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has briefed 49 diplomatic missions, denouncing repeated incursions and urging Cambodia to withdraw to pre-December 8 positions.
Thailand has laid out three preconditions for meaningful dialogue:
Immediate and verified ceasefire
Withdrawal of Cambodian forces to internationally recognized coordinates
Joint mine-clearing operations along the contested frontier
These demands will headline discussions at the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled in Kuala Lumpur on December 22.
Cambodian Response
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence in Phnom Penh has acknowledged the clashes, reporting at least 12 Cambodian soldiers killed and 28 wounded in the exchanges. The government has not released civilian casualty figures; attempts by this outlet to reach Cambodian officials for further comment went unanswered.
What Lies Ahead
Military leaders caution that the coming days could prove decisive, with clear skies offering wider scope for air operations but leaving troops exposed on the ground. Residents are urged to keep ID documents, emergency contacts, and medications readily accessible, and to follow announcements from Thai PBS and the Interior Ministry’s hotline for any relocation orders.
Until a sustainable resolution achieves a negotiated settlement that secures peace and stability, both soldiers and civilians in Sa Kaeo brace for the next round of hostilities and await a diplomatic breakthrough that might finally quell the guns.
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