Villagers in Nam Yuen flee to shelters as border clashes spark fear

Tensions flared again on Saturday (27 September) after Cambodian forces allegedly attempted to provoke clashes near the disputed Chong An Ma area in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province.

According to Thai authorities, at 12.02pm Cambodian troops fired heavy weapons from Hill 677 towards Thai positions at Hill 600 and Hill 527, while also exchanging small-arms fire intermittently. 

The skirmish was contained within the area before subsiding, but both sides have since reinforced their positions and remain on high alert.

Although a ceasefire is in place, the incident has rattled residents. More than 300 villagers in the Nam Yuen district fled their homes, leaving behind livestock and belongings, and sought safety in temporary shelters. Local defence volunteers were deployed to guard the evacuated communities overnight.

Wassawat Puangpornsri, MP and leader of the Thai Ruam Palang Party, visited the shelters to provide relief supplies, including bottled water and canned fish. Posting on social media, he wrote: “We will get through this together. People in our community never abandon one another. I visited several shelters in the Det Udom district, where nearly 300 people and many smaller families have already evacuated. We stand together.”