Rolls of razor wire now run through the middle of the village Cambodia calls Chouk Chey, and on through fields of sugar cane. Behind them, just over the border, tall black screens rise up from the ground, concealing the Thai soldiers who put them up. This is the new, hard border between the two countries, which was once open and easily crossed by people from both sides.
Then, at 15:20 local time on 13 August, that changed. The Thai soldiers came and asked us to leave, said Huis Malis. Then they rolled out the razor wire. I asked if I could go back to get my cooking pots. They gave me just 20 minutes. Hers is one of 13 families who have been cut off from houses and fields on the other side of the wire where they say they have been living and working for decades.
Signs have now been erected by the Thai authorities warning Cambodians that they have been illegally encroaching on Thai territory. In Chouk Chey, the villagers argue that the border should run in a straight line between two stone boundary markers that were agreed and installed more than a century ago. Thailand claims it is merely securing its territory amidst ongoing conflicts.
Months of tension along disputed parts of their border erupted into open conflict in July, resulting in around 40 deaths. A ceasefire has since held, though nationalist sentiments on social media have kept both sides on edge. The BBC has visited border areas of Cambodia, finding many residents struggling after the conflict.
Provincial Governor Oum Reatrey remarked on the economic impact, estimating a loss of one million dollars daily due to customs revenue from the border closure. The overall cost of the conflict remains unknown, but trade has plummeted, and the Cambodian workers are no longer in Thailand, while Thai tourists have ceased visiting Cambodia.
In Chouk Chey, more than 5,000 families remain displaced in makeshift camps with minimal sanitation and food, while those in Thailand returned to their homes shortly after the ceasefire. Fear from ongoing skirmishes and misinformation is preventing many from returning, as the conditions remain dangerous with unexploded ordnance still present.
Recent days have shown sporadic confrontations between soldiers and villagers as frustrations simmer, with no resolution in sight. The damages to historical sites, like the ancient Preah Vihear temple, indicate a geopolitical conflict that has deep historical roots, exacerbated by each side's nationalistic narratives.
While both countries grapple with the consequences of stalled trade and military tensions, voices from Cambodia seek an end to the conflict, underscoring a plea for peace amid heightened fears of aggression.
Then, at 15:20 local time on 13 August, that changed. The Thai soldiers came and asked us to leave, said Huis Malis. Then they rolled out the razor wire. I asked if I could go back to get my cooking pots. They gave me just 20 minutes. Hers is one of 13 families who have been cut off from houses and fields on the other side of the wire where they say they have been living and working for decades.
Signs have now been erected by the Thai authorities warning Cambodians that they have been illegally encroaching on Thai territory. In Chouk Chey, the villagers argue that the border should run in a straight line between two stone boundary markers that were agreed and installed more than a century ago. Thailand claims it is merely securing its territory amidst ongoing conflicts.
Months of tension along disputed parts of their border erupted into open conflict in July, resulting in around 40 deaths. A ceasefire has since held, though nationalist sentiments on social media have kept both sides on edge. The BBC has visited border areas of Cambodia, finding many residents struggling after the conflict.
Provincial Governor Oum Reatrey remarked on the economic impact, estimating a loss of one million dollars daily due to customs revenue from the border closure. The overall cost of the conflict remains unknown, but trade has plummeted, and the Cambodian workers are no longer in Thailand, while Thai tourists have ceased visiting Cambodia.
In Chouk Chey, more than 5,000 families remain displaced in makeshift camps with minimal sanitation and food, while those in Thailand returned to their homes shortly after the ceasefire. Fear from ongoing skirmishes and misinformation is preventing many from returning, as the conditions remain dangerous with unexploded ordnance still present.
Recent days have shown sporadic confrontations between soldiers and villagers as frustrations simmer, with no resolution in sight. The damages to historical sites, like the ancient Preah Vihear temple, indicate a geopolitical conflict that has deep historical roots, exacerbated by each side's nationalistic narratives.
While both countries grapple with the consequences of stalled trade and military tensions, voices from Cambodia seek an end to the conflict, underscoring a plea for peace amid heightened fears of aggression.
