Cambodians confront Thai troops at Sa Kaeo border following eviction order

Tension rose at the border in Sa Kaeo’s Khok Sung district when hundreds of Cambodians confronted Thai soldiers along the border's razor wire, holding wooden sticks after the provincial administration ordered the eviction of 170 Cambodian families from the Ban Nong Chan area.

Cambodian villagers were seen gathering at the border at 9:50 AM on Thursday, shortly after Thai authorities posted signs in the Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew communities. The signs informed 170 Cambodian families to return to their homeland or face legal action. The signs were written in Thai, Cambodian, and English under the order of Sa Kaeo Governor Parinya Photisat.

The villagers were seen near the barbed wire, guarded by both Thai soldiers and border patrol police. Many were carrying wooden sticks or other items seemingly intended to be used as weapons.

In addition to confronting the Cambodians, Thai soldiers dispatched patrol units to inspect the forests along the border.

An official from the Sa Kaeo provincial administration stated that troops and police had been instructed to avoid using force against the confronting Cambodians, fearing the situation might escalate.

Thai villagers living near the border, particularly around Ban Nong Chan, also monitored the situation with concerns that tensions could rise and lead to border clashes, putting them at risk from the potential fallout.