PHNOM PENH: The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Cambodia has highlighted their support for the children displaced by the recent border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, with thousands of children remain unable to return to their home and school due to the Thai military’s continued occupation.
In a video published on Sept 8, Park Kyungnan, country director of WFP in Cambodia, noted that she recently visited a site hosting families who were displaced by the 2025 border conflict.
“At the height of the crisis, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. While most have returned, over 1,800 children remain displaced across three sites in Preah Vihear and are unable to go home,” she said.
According to Park, since the conflict started, WFP has been supporting school meals for these children, who are now continuing their education. She explained that daily school meals play a vital role in making that possible. They help children stay nourished, focused and ready to learn.
“This is a collective effort led by the Government of Cambodia with support from schools, parents, communities, local authorities and the WFP,” she added.
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron thanked the UN agency, as well as the people of Japan, for their support to children at the displacement camps.
“On behalf of all children affected by the border conflict, I would like to express my gratitude to the WFP, which received timely assistance from Japanese donors to provide breakfast for children in the displacement areas,” he was quoted as saying in the video.
Park also highlighted Cambodia’s experience in delivering school meal programmes, saying that it showed the value of strong national systems which can protect children in a crisis. She called for a “work-together” approach to ensure that displacement does not interrupt a child’s education or their future.
As of Sept 6, nearly 20,000 Cambodian civilians remain displaced, unable to return to their homes near the border. Many of their houses have been destroyed by the Thai military. Among them are just over 6,000 children, according to the Ministry of Interior. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
