Residents along Thailand’s eastern border are slowly returning to daily life after weeks of tension, relief, and uncertainty. In Ban Kruat district of Buriram province, families who fled their homes during cross-border unrest are now back in their villages, grateful to work without the sound of gunfire but far from confident that the calm will last.
Following the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire signed on December 27, authorities are closely monitoring the situation over a 72-hour period. While officials continue to assess stability at the border, many residents chose not to wait. After more than 20 days in temporary evacuation shelters, they packed their belongings and returned home as soon as conditions allowed.
For many, the decision was driven by necessity rather than optimism. Time away from home meant lost income, unpaid debts, and growing financial pressure. Farmers, rubber tappers, and daily workers said staying in shelters left them unable to earn a living, especially during a critical end-of-year period.
Ms. Wanpen Chairam, 49, from Sai Takoo sub district in Ban Kruat, said she returned to her rubber plantation immediately after hearing the ceasefire announcement. December 28 marked her first day back at work since evacuating on December 7.
She said the past weeks were extremely difficult. With no income during evacuation, she fell behind on household expenses and loan repayments. Her rubber tapping income averages less than 2,000 baht per week, barely enough to cover daily costs. At the end of the year, she must also repay debts to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives.
While she feels relief being home, her confidence in the ceasefire remains low. Ms. Wanpen said past experience has taught villagers to be cautious. She does not fully trust that Cambodia will honor the agreement and believes stability must be judged day by day.
Other residents echoed similar concerns. Many said they are happy to sleep in their own homes, tend to their crops, and check on livestock and pets. Yet fear lingers. Families remain alert, ready to leave again if tensions return.
Local people say their future depends largely on government policy and border security decisions beyond their control. As farmers and laborers, they feel they can only wait, work, and hope the peace holds.
For now, life resumes quietly in Ban Kruat. The fields are active again, and villages feel alive. But beneath the relief is caution, shaped by past broken promises and the fragile nature of ceasefires along the border. Source Khaosod.
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