Residents of Prey Chan village gather belongings left behind after Thai military shelling for transportation to a safe centre. - PPP
PHNOM PENH: In Prey Chan and Chouk Chey villages along Cambodia’s north-western border, the marks of the Dec 7-27 fighting are visible in damaged homes, abandoned fields and wandering livestock.
But residents say the deeper impact came when parts of their villages were entered and occupied by Thai soldiers, leaving civilians trapped in fear, displacement and uncertainty.
On the ground, dozens of houses have been left heavily damaged, with corrugated metal roofs torn apart and wooden supports collapsed – rendering the structures partially flattened and uninhabitable. Sheets of roofing lie twisted across the ground, while broken beams and debris are scattered throughout what appears to have once been living space.
The damage suggests the impact of a violent incident or extreme conditions, stripping the shelters of protection and exposing the vulnerability of those who relied on the fragile structures.
The Thai military continues to erect barbed wire and shipping containers in Cambodian territory, an illegal act under international law. - AKP
Chouk Chey village chief Pen Rithy said on January 4 that the village, home to 807 families (3,022 people) has been surrounded by the Thai military, with 707 Cambodian families affected – over 87 per cent of the population.
“This illegal occupation of Cambodian territory is extremely serious. Today, villagers still have hope that our government, including the prime minister, will resolve this issue for us,” he said.
Rithy added that 98 per cent of homes in the village have been completely destroyed, and no residents dare return home due to ongoing security concerns.
He said he has demanded the Thai military remove barbed wire and shipping containers and return the land to Cambodian villagers, stressing that border lines cannot be determined through military force or the use of firearms.
Locals interviewed by The Post said Thai soldiers entered parts of the villages during the fighting, restricting movement and prompting many families to flee. Residents described days of confusion, unsure whether it was safe to stay, leave or return to collect belongings.
Uon Chenda, 48, a resident of Chouk Chey, said his home lies just a few metres from barriers erected by the Thai military, which he said they have claimed as their territory.
Although his family was forced to flee for safety, Chenda has continued to volunteer as a food delivery worker for the Cambodian army.
“The Thai military has planted barbed wire and containers deep inside Cambodian territory – at least 250 metres from Road 58 and far from the border,” he told The Post, pointing to an unexploded 155-millimetre shell lying about 10 metres from his home.
“Now the Thai military is not allowing villagers to approach the barbed wire or return to their homes, even to collect their belongings. Yesterday, they continued to install more barbed wire around Chouk Chey. This is an act of aggression, and the Thai military must immediately leave Cambodian territory,” he said.
Chenda condemned the Thai military and urged the Cambodian government to continue seeking international intervention to
expel Thai forces from Cambodian territory.
Prey Chan village, in Ou Beichoan commune, O’Chrov district of Banteay Meanchey province, is home to about 270 families – approximately 700 people.
Resident Si Soeuy, 62, said she had returned to Chan Si Monastery after fleeing to another camp when the Thai military shelled the Buddhist site, which had been sheltering thousands of displaced people.
She said her home was destroyed by shelling, preventing her family from returning – further compounded by ongoing security threats from Thai troops in the area.
“Our houses are completely destroyed, and we don’t dare go back now. The Thais have surrounded us with barbed wire and are threatening to shoot if Cambodians come near,” Soeuy told The Post at the monastery in Kop commune.
“We did not know what would happen next,” said a single mother of three, who asked not to be named for security reasons. “We thought only about protecting my children and elderly mother. We left our house with nothing.”
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport announced that most schools in affected areas of the province have resumed classes. However, Chouk Chey and primary schools in O’Chrov, as well as Banteay Meanrith primary and secondary schools, remain closed due to safety concerns and damaged facilities.
Banteay Meanchey province has 321 schools in total. As a result, children in Prey Chan and Chouk Chey have either suspended their studies or are travelling longer distances to attend classes elsewhere.
Cambodia has formally demanded that Thailand withdraw its military, accusing Thai forces of illegally seizing and maintaining control over areas in Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
It described this as a violation of the ceasefire, international law and bilateral border agreements, according to a Jan 2 statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry stated that Thai incursions between Dec 7-27 continued even after the ceasefire took effect, with satellite imagery showing the destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure, particularly in the Prey Chan, Chouk Chey and the Boeung Trakuon area.
Cambodia described the actions as an unlawful occupation and a gross violation of international humanitarian law.
The government called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the withdrawal of Thai forces to the legally recognised border, and adherence to joint boundary mechanisms—while reaffirming its commitment to a peaceful resolution under international law. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
