Phanom dong rak: Tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border have forced farmers in Phanom Dong Rak District, Surin Province, to rush to harvest their rice in preparation for evacuation in case of further clashes.
According to Thai News Agency, despite flooding from unseasonal rains, farmers in Phanom Dong Rak District have no time to wait for everything to be ready. They are hurrying to harvest their rice to prepare for another round of tense border situations, which pose a high risk of new clashes. Some farmers are drying their rice to remove moisture before selling it at rice mills or storing it in barns for consumption. One farmer has experienced three rounds of border clashes, from the internal conflict in Cambodia in 1977, to the Preah Vihear Temple issue that spread to Surin in 2011, and most recently at the end of July. He urges city residents to be sympathetic to border farmers who are harvesting their crops and believes the military is taking this into consideration. However, when it comes to action, they want to resolve the issue once and for all.
Meanwhile, a general merchandise store in Phanom Dong Rak District has had to lay off two employees after sales plummeted by 70% since the clashes. The situation remains unstable and uncertain, leading residents to hold onto their money and be more cautious about spending, preparing for the possibility of further evacuations. The store has also built additional shelters to prepare for potential emergencies.
The Bak Dai Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Phanom Dong Rak District, Surin Province, convened a meeting with local leaders and government agencies to prepare and rehearse disaster prevention and mitigation plans in the event of a clash. Two locations have been designated to serve over 10,000 people in 20 villages, with lessons learned from past problems and obstacles being incorporated into current plans. The Phanom Dong Rak District Chief has warned residents to avoid routes used by Thai military artillery, as more accurate location-gathering technology could be affected by Cambodian shelling.