(5 November) Residents of Phum Salon village, which sits on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, have fled their abodes amid the fears of a potential military conflict between the two nations.
The International Court of Justice is due to deliver its verdict on the ownership of the area around Preah Vihear Temple which is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.
The border dispute has been simmering for half a decade, but it has escalated into open combat in 2011, when the Thai and Cambodian troops clashed near Phum Salon village. The community was eventually wrecked by artillery shells fired from the Cambodian positions.
Ms. Samrit Kawsa-nga, 46, whose house was destroyed by the Cambodian shellfire in 2011 and later rebuilt by Sri Saket pronvincial authority, said that she is still worried about the current situation and fears that the Cambodian weapons might be aiming at her house again.
She eventually decided that she should flee the village to her relatives’ houses, along with many other villagers for their own safety.
Nevertheless, a number of locals have decided to stay out of the conviction that the situation would be resolved peacefully by the two nations.
On Monday, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate of Civil Affairs also met with local residents in Tambol Sao-Thingchai, Katharalak district, to explain about the Government’s preparation plans as the ICJ ruling approaches.
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