Four Cambodian-border provinces evacuate villagers
Four Cambodian-border provinces evacuate villagers as clashes escalate; food and medical aid provided.
Governors of four provinces along the Cambodian border, where clashes occurred on Thursday, have ordered the evacuation of residents living near the border.
Ansit Samphantharat, permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry, said the governors of Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani had issued evacuation orders to move people to safe shelters.
Ansit stated that the evacuation was ordered by acting Prime Minister and Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who instructed the ministry to implement an operation plan to protect areas behind the frontlines.
The order was given after Cambodian troops opened fire on Thai soldiers near Prasat Ta Muen Thom and Prasat Ta Kwai in Surin, near the Sai Taku border crossing in Buri Ram’s Ban Kruat district, in Surin’s Kantharak district, and at Ubon Ratchathani’s Chong An Ma pass in Nam Yuen district.
Ansit warned that the situation was expected to escalate.
He also stated that the ministry had ordered the governors of Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and Trat to prepare for possible evacuations of residents along the border in those provinces.
The ministry has opened kitchens to provide food for the evacuated people and contacted the Public Health Ministry to send medical teams to care for them.
