Surin: Multiple sources confirm that the situation on the Thai-Cambodian border will escalate in the next two days, risking a second round of clashes. Surin provincial authorities have therefore issued warnings to village headmen and subdistrict heads, urging villagers to prepare for emergencies.

According to Thai News Agency, a news team surveyed the atmosphere in villages along the Thai-Cambodian border in Ta Miang Subdistrict, Phanom Dong Rak District, Surin Province, near the Ta Muen Temple complex. They found that many families had returned to the area just one or two days after fleeing the fighting between July 24th and 28th. However, they received less positive news. Security officials advised them to prepare and pack their belongings for a possible second round of fighting, which could be more violent than the first. This caused panic among many villagers and led them to evacuate. However, after village leaders came to their understanding, their concerns were alleviated. They communicated a message from the Phanom Dong Rak District Chief, advising them to wait until there were sounds of fighting before evacuating. The villagers obeyed, as most had no idea where to go, as temporary shelters had yet to be opened.

While one woman was trapped in the fighting area near the Prasat Ta Muen group for five days, worried about her cattle, she lived in a hut with four relatives and assessed the situation as safe because the bullets traveled farther, so she heard the clashes clearly, both small arms and artillery, throughout the five-day fighting.

The shells that fell in this zone were artillery, mortar guns, and PG 7s that Cambodia uses to fire against Thai military tanks. There is still a large area that has not yet been explored because it is close to the border. The BM 21 multi-barrel rockets, which often cause damage to civilian targets, have a bullet trajectory that falls farther across villages.

A key reason why the Thai-Cambodian border situation has become tense again, despite both sides agreeing on 13 ceasefire agreements at the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting on August 7th, is because Thai soldiers have been stepping on landmines. The latest incident is Sergeant Major Theeraphon Phiakhanthi, who suffered a broken left ankle while patrolling near Ta Muen Thom Temple. He remains in good spirits and wants his commanding officer to appoint his son as a volunteer ranger in his place.

Last evening, Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the Second Army Region, visited and presented a fruit basket and financial support. He also expressed the Army Commander’s concern for the injured soldiers and their families. He praised their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice, and promised to provide assistance, facilitate, and ensure their benefits in every respect. He also emphasized the use of equipment to assist with surveillance in bomb-prone areas, rather than relying on personnel, to prevent a repeat of the incident.