Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has prompted the evacuation of approximately 40,000 residents from more than 80 villages in Thailand's Surin province and nearby border areas.
According to the deputy spokesperson of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, 14 Thai people were killed and 46 others injured in military clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border as of 21:00 local time on Thursday.
Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey deputy governor, Met Meas Pheakdey, said that one villager was killed and five others were wounded on Thursday when the Thai side fired artillery shells into Cambodian territory, according to media reports.
The situation escalated following skirmishes that began Thursday morning, with each of the two sides blaming the other side for violating international law.
A China Global Television Network (CGTN) correspondent visited a temporal settlement site near the border area in Surin Province.
"If we stayed at home, it would not be safe so we have to come here. We want it to be peaceful and then we can go back to work normally. We don't want this kind of thing to happen. We want to go to work normally and live a normal life. We have expenses, debts, and have to send our children to school. We have to pay debts. If we stay like this, we won't be able to work and we have to think about it. It's stressful too," said Sayan Sarngsourn, a villager from Surin Province.
"This morning, the village headman first informed us in the group chat about evacuation. Then about five minutes later, there was the sound of heavy weapon fire, which kept getting louder and louder. So we evacuated," said another villager Keattichai Nongjit
The governors of four Thai provinces, Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani, have all issued evacuation orders to relocate people to safe shelters.
"We currently have about 4,500 people sheltering in this center, which has the capacity to accommodate up to at least 10,000 people. That's the overall situation now," said Pongphon Pattanaprateep, deputy chief of Mueang Surin District.
Around 40,000 residents evacuated from Thai border areas after clashes with Cambodia
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
