In Thailand, Komsan Prachan, a father of three from Nakhon Sawan Province, is still shaken with grief. He lost his wife and one of his children in the violent clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border, which left a total of eight dead. The entire incident took place at a 7-Eleven store in Sisaket province. His family would often stop there to purchase treats en route to pick up the kids’ grandparents.
The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over the Preah Vihear temple has intensified sharply. Unfortunately, it has already killed 20 people in Thailand so far, 13 of which are civilians and 7 soldiers. In the meantime, Cambodia has acknowledged 13 deaths—five of them soldiers, eight—civilians. The brutality has instilled terror in ethnic communities, uprooting thousands from their homes. Consequently, more than 200,000 residents of border communities in the two countries have been evacuated.
Komsan Prachan describes his wife as “very loving.” What he doesn’t realize is how much he has come to value her constant concern for everybody’s health. He expressed profound grief over his family’s loss, stating, “My wife is like the other half of my life.” He fondly remembered his daughter Taksatorn, saying, “If you asked her for help, she would always say yes,” and he described his son Pongsapak as someone who “brought joy and smiles” wherever he went.
The war has deep historical roots and is widely characterized as a feud that has spanned decades. It features Hun Sen, the long-time strongman of Cambodia, who ruled that country for almost 40 years, and Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled former prime minister of Thailand. Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently holds office as Thailand’s prime minister. Tensions boiled over again after a clandestine phone call between Hun Sen and the prime minister’s daughter Paetongtarn leaked last month. The announcement angered voters in Thailand and caused the country’s constitutional court to suspend Paetongtarn from holding office.
If violence couldn’t get any worse, it is not. U.S. officials, including President Biden himself, have been unequivocal that they will not negotiate a trade deal with either side while fighting continues. In case you missed it, Donald Trump just dropped the most exciting news. Both Thailand and Cambodia had already agreed to sit down within the next few hours to negotiate a ceasefire following his diplomatic shuttlecocking of their leaders.
The ongoing conflict has done more than take hundreds of lives, it has shattered the daily life of thousands of families living in Yemen. Local resident Duan Ounjit conveyed that wish for calm in no uncertain terms. I want to go back to how it used to be … He continued. This sense of peace in the region has been torn apart recently, making many residents afraid to go outside and unsure about their livelihood.