Voices of the Displaced: Civilians Bear the Human Cost of Cambodia–Thailand Border War

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (Dec. 11, 2025) — As fighting along the Cambodia–Thailand border enters its fifth day, the humanitarian toll is mounting, with more than 192,000 people forced to flee their homes. The Ministry of National Defence says Thai forces have fired indiscriminately into Cambodian territory since Dec. 7, damaging villages, destroying homes, and nearly obliterating the historic Ta Krabey Temple.

At a temporary camp in Siem Reap, a woman in her mid 50s broke down as she described running from artillery fire. “I am in so much pain,” she said. “I pity myself. I’m already this old, yet I am still running… running endlessly.” Sitting on the ground in a sarong and black shirt, she said she longs only for peace and the chance to sleep in her own home again.

Another displaced woman, heavily pregnant, said she fled with no belongings. Trembling from exhaustion, she recalled grabbing her husband and mother as shells landed nearby. Her disabled father stayed behind, telling her: “Go, my child. I will stay and guard the house.” She said she has already been displaced three times since the conflict reignited and believes Thai forces are “not respecting human rights at all.”

Officials report at least 10 civilian deaths, including an infant, and dozens injured. Families from Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Siem Reap and Pursat provinces have been uprooted, many arriving at safe zones with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Relief agencies warn that food, shelter, and medical supplies are stretched thin as the influx of displaced families grows daily.

The Ministry accused Thailand of violating the October ceasefire and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration, calling the attacks a breach of humanitarian law. Cambodian authorities say the destruction of Ta Krabey Temple, a revered 11th century monument, represents not only a cultural tragedy but also a deliberate assault on national identity.

As the conflict deepens, the voices of the displaced underscore the human cost behind the statistics. For many, this is the third or fourth time they have fled fighting in their lifetimes. Their stories reveal a longing for peace, stability, and the right to live without fear in their own homes.