Conflict-struck villages in Thailand's Surin Province, bordering Cambodia, continue to endure the lasting impact of loss and destruction even after a ceasefire between the two countries took effect Monday midnight.
In the aftermath of bombardments, Phra Chat Phrommat, a village resident and monk, picked through the smoldering wreckage of his now-roofless home with bare hands. The debris still reeked of smoke and scorched timber.
"This was once my home, and now it looks like this. It makes me so sad. There are no words to describe how I feel. I'm holding back tears because many people lived in my home -- my nieces, a newborn baby, my elderly parents. Just look at my house now," he said.
The building had housed his family of 11, who had taken shelter at an evacuation center nearby. None were injured, but the destruction to the home was total.
Amid the ashes on Monday, an eerie silence in the village was occasionally broken by the sounds of explosions in the distance.
"More than 20 rockets landed on this community. There are no words. I have never experienced this before. I feel so sad and feel so sorry for my whole community," said Somrak Sukchai, a local villager.
The scars of the conflict are plain to see. Part of a rice field has been gouged open by a crater, while a toilet sinks into the ground in the backyard of a house.
For now, Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, but many locals in Surin are skeptical that it will hold. Some are pondering whether they should stay or flee.
"I have prepared everything. All my important documents. I have also prepared some clothes. I am ready to evacuate if an announcement comes," said Duangchai Loetchettanarom, a local food vendor.
Residents in Thai border village cope with destruction of homes after Cambodia-Thailand clashes
