A mother feeds her son while waiting for her family to register at Kampong Sangke centre on Dec 10. - Photo: The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
PHNOM PENH: Families from some of the most vulnerable communities in Preah Vihear province are fleeing in growing numbers to a designated sanctuary near the Cambodia–Laos border, as Thai air and artillery attacks continue for a fourth day.
Among them is 29-year-old Ho Laihun, a mother of three from Teuk Kraham in Rong Reung 5 village, Choam Khsant district, who escaped after Thai F-16 aircraft struck near her home on Monday (Dec 8).
She said the sudden roar of fighter jets and explosions sent villagers running.
“It was the most frightening moment of my life,” she said. “I grabbed my children and ran. I just want my children to be safe.”
Laihun is sheltering at Kampong Sangke Pagoda, one of eight sanctuaries set up by Preah Vihear authorities, where families are sleeping on mats and relying on basic supplies as evacuation numbers climb.
The site is managed by Khit Sotheara, governor of Chheb district, who said on December 10 that as of the third day of the offensive, the centre had received 810 families — about 3,200 people — most from frontline areas like Mom Bei and Division 9.
“They continue to come here, while some people have not been able to leave their homes because of the shelling,” he said, noting the centre has capacity for up to 1,200 families, or 5,000 people, based on July’s refugee planning.
Water, electricity and sanitation systems have been installed, and local authorities are distributing tents, mats, blankets, mosquito nets and other essentials.
A mobile health team has been deployed, though the centre remains under strain; one pregnant woman had to be rushed to Kampong Sralao Health Center after going into labour before the site was fully ready.
Although the site sits around 50 kilometres from the conflict zone, officials believe the proximity to the Laos border reduces the risk of Thai air or artillery strikes for fear of overshooting into Lao territory.
Still, not all evacuees feel secure. Some families, fearing the continued thunder of artillery, are choosing to move further into surrounding rice fields.
Province-wide, evacuations continue to surge. As of 6pm on December 10, Preah Vihear’s eight designated centres had received 6,477 families — a total of 22,390 people — underscoring the scale of displacement as fighting intensifies along the frontier. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
