‘Double layers of protection’ for evacuees near Preah Vihear clashes

As explosions rocked the Cambodian–Thai border this week, families fleeing the frontline found themselves relying on what they describe as “double layers of protection”: locally built bunkers, located in specially prepared evacuation centres.

At the Kampong Sangke sanctuary in Chheb district, located just 10 kilometres from the fighting zone, an aid worker said fear among children remained extreme despite reaching what is supposed to be a safe area.

Kin Soksan, a World Vision field worker who is assisting displaced families, said the bunkers, built by local residents, have become essential psychological and physical protection for those who escaped shelling in border communities.

“The children were very scared because of the intensity of the explosions,” he told The Post.

“People were walking through shelling, past roadside bombs and even running from bullets. Even though they made it to the centre, they were still scared — their faces pale, sad and very worried,” he added.

Soksan recalled finding two children eating at the edge of a bunker because they refused to move far from what they saw as their only safe space.

“It was really pitiful,” he said. “They didn’t want to go anywhere else.”

The bunkers, dug by villagers during earlier periods of tension, have once again become lifelines.

Soksan said some families spent two days trapped inside them as artillery fire intensified, while others hid in nearby forests for two to three days before daring to move toward safer ground.

He added that although the evacuation centres offer shelter, they do not eliminate risk — especially with Thai F-16 jets and drones repeatedly flying over Cambodian territory during the offensive.

He said he felt exposed while aid workers hold delivering food ceremony to children and distributing supplies to pregnant women.

“There is a risk when you hear the sound of fighter jets and shells,” Soksan said, recalling an incident in Preah Vihear town on December 11.

“Both the people and the authorities felt panic. But we managed the situation without causing chaos,” he added.

Despite the dangers, Chheb district governor Keth Sotheara, who manages the Wat Kampong Sangke centre, said the location, near the Laos border, provides an additional layer of protection.

“Because it is close to the Cambodian–Laos border, we believe the Thai army will not attack here with shells or F-16s,” he said.

Still, not all evacuees are convinced. Some families have continued to move farther into rice fields or deeper inland, unable to bear the persistent roar of artillery.

For Soksan, the sight of children huddling in bunkers brings back memories of his own childhood spent in conflict zones.

What was once a second home and a place to play has now become a stark reminder of the past repeating itself.

“I see it again today,” he said. “And I feel pity for these children.”

By Phnom Penh Post  https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/-double-layers-of-protection-for-evacuees-near-preah-vihear-clashes