Thai villagers who have found themselves caught up in an escalating border clash between Thailand and Cambodia have volunteered to take up night patrols to keep a close eye on stray projectiles and incoming drones. Amorn Silavieng, who lives in a border village in Sa Kaeo Province, returned for the first time to find her home shattered. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air. She stood in silence, gazing at the wreckage—her life, built over 63 years, obliterated in an instant.
"It's all gone, there's nothing left. The fridge, TV, fan…everything is gone," said Silavieng, a local villager.
In daylight, the destruction felt louder than the explosions ever did. The blast tore through the wooden beams, flinging tin sheets across the yard. It didn’t just destroy a shed; it eradicated a family’s source of income, leaving an empty space where their survival once relied on livestock.
Sa Kaeo Province lies on Thailand’s eastern edge, where borders may be disputed on maps but are inhabited by families who never chose those divisions.
Bunkers are now everywhere, pressed into the landscape. Just moments ago, Boonthan Anthapithee, assistant village headwoman, said that a rocket had fallen on the village.
"There was one that came down this afternoon, around 14:00. It's not far," said Anthapithee.
When night fell, while others remained hidden, some stepped back into the open.
A team of patrollers consists of farmers, shopkeepers, and mechanics who put on uniforms as the night patrol begins.
They rode through the village, scanning for movement, listening for drones, and watching for anything out of place.
Many have families sheltering in bunkers while they patrol above ground.
"All members of the village security team must act as the eyes and ears for the police and the military. We are stationed here on watch, so if there is an incident such as stray ordnance or any unexpected situation, we must report it or call them in to investigate," said Wattana Sopawat, a village security volunteer.
The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict reignited on Dec. 7, with both sides accusing the other of initiating the attack.
Thai villagers caught up in border clash take up night patrols to alert community against attacks
