A durian farmer living on Thailand's border with Cambodia expressed relief after the two nations reached a ceasefire agreement, which came just in time to save his harvest.
On July 24, armed clashes broke out between Thai and Cambodian forces along the disputed border. The two neighbors agreed to a ceasefire on July 28, taking effect at midnight.
For Thi, a durian farmer in Changwat Si Sa Ket, the late July to early August harvest season — typically a time of plenty — had become a source of anxiety. When conflict erupted between Thailand and Cambodia, he was forced to abandon his durian garden near the contested area, leaving hundreds of precious fruits to rot unpicked.
"Many durians rotted after falling to the ground, and I lost hundreds of them. They dropped because I couldn't go there to harvest them," said Thi.
During the conflict, Thi's family was evacuated to a temporary shelter. Fearing massive losses as durians continued to rot, he ventured back to his orchard just two days after the ceasefire—risking his safety to salvage the remaining harvest.
"This was the last batch. If I didn't collect them, they'll all have fallen and rotten," Thi said.
Though the family has since returned to their home, located 40 kilometers from the border, memories of the conflict remain vivid. Thi's wife recalled the explosion at a nearby gas station on July 24 with unease: "Our house is about 3 kilometers away. We heard the blast clearly."
Cambodia and Thailand reached a consensus on the details of the ceasefire and signed an agreement at an extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
For Thi's family, the news brought immediate relief and hope.
"I'm overjoyed by the agreement reached in Malaysia. I am really happy that Thailand and Cambodia have reached a consensus on a ceasefire. This ceasefire means our lives can finally return to normal. During the conflict, so many people fled that business nearly collapsed—customers disappeared overnight. Now, with peace restored, I truly hope this stability lasts," Thi said.
Thai durian farmer expresses relief as Thailand, Cambodia cut ceasefire deal
