After fleeing because of fighting near the border with Thailand, many Cambodians are now going back to their homes to see the damage caused by the conflict.

 When 63-year-old Soth Sim came back to his home in Phrong village near the Cambodia-Thailand border, he found broken glass, burnt motorcycles, and even a burned statue of Buddha. Fighting had taken place there just a few days before.

Thousands of people who had to leave their homes because of the conflict are now starting to return. But many are seeing the damage and loss the fighting caused. At least 41 people have died, and over 260,000 have been forced to leave their homes.

Soth Sim lives in Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia, about 15 kilometers from the Thai border. He and his family of eight had fled to a camp 60 kilometers away when the fighting began. Now, with a ceasefire in place, he decided to come back.

When he arrived, he saw his house was badly damaged by fire, with holes from shrapnel letting light in. His furniture was all destroyed. Nearby, the gas station he owned was also badly damaged.

He said he was shocked when he saw a photo of his ruined house on Facebook posted by a neighbor. "All the things we earned and worked for our whole lives are gone in a moment," he said. He thinks the damage will cost around $100,000 and worries about how he will manage.

He asked the United Nations and other leaders to help stop the fighting.

Nearby, his neighbor Sok Duong, a 33-year-old who makes rice wine, also returned home. She found a big crater in her driveway and holes in her roof from the fighting. Rain had come through the damaged roof and flooded parts of her home.

Sok Duong said, “This is the only shelter for me and my three kids. I don’t know how I can live here.”

Luckily, her piglets were safe, and she was able to feed them. She doesn’t have money to fix her house yet, but she hopes the fighting is over so she won’t have to run away again.

Both Cambodia and Thailand blame each other for starting the fighting last week. A ceasefire was arranged by Malaysia with support from the U.S. and China, and it seems to be holding for now. But people still don’t fully trust each other.

More displaced people are expected to return soon, hoping their homes survived the violence.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First National Bamboo Conference Happening Now

KHOTANG, February 28 – The First National Bamboo Conference is currently being held in Diktel Bazaar, running from February 27 to March 1. The event was officially opened at the Khotang Multi-Purpose Covered Hall, and an exhibition showcasing various bamboo products is taking place nearby at the Matikore playground. The event is organized mainly by Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality. Even the welcome gate and stage at the venue are built using bamboo. The exhibition features 51 stalls displaying items made from bamboo, along with local agricultural products. Mayor Tirtha Raj Bhattarai shared that traditional Nepali bamboo swings—lingle ping and rote ping—have been set up for entertainment. Over 300 guests from outside the district are attending the conference. During the event, bamboo experts will present 23 papers under the theme: “Where there is bamboo, there is life; where there is life, there is bamboo.” Other co-organizers include the Forest Research and Training Centre (Bab...
Read more

Gold prices keep going up

  Kathmandu, June 18 — Gold prices have been rising in the international market since June 10, and this has also pushed up prices in Nepal. When the market opened today, the price of gold had gone up by Rs 900 per tola (11.66 grams) compared to Tuesday, while silver rose by Rs 65 per tola. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, gold is now being traded at Rs 195,500 per tola, and silver at Rs 2,225 per tola. International reports show that gold is currently priced at 3,393 US dollars per ounce in the global market.
Read more

Dengue cases are spreading rapidly in Chitwan.

Narayangadh (Chitwan), July 20 In the fiscal year 2024/25, a total of 3,889 people were confirmed to have dengue in Chitwan district. According to the Public Health Office, 3,020 of these cases were local residents—1,548 men and 1,472 women. The remaining 869 cases involved people from other districts—412 men and 457 women. Bharatpur Metropolitan City recorded the highest number of cases with 1,171 infections, while Madi Municipality had the fewest, with just 37 cases. One person died from the disease during the year. A total of 17,353 dengue tests were conducted throughout the year. Ram KC, a Vector Control Inspector at the Public Health Office, mentioned that the previous year had 1,831 confirmed cases out of 23,840 tests. Dengue was first detected in Nepal in 2004, in a Japanese tourist visiting Chitwan. The Public Health Office emphasized that the best way to prevent dengue is by protecting yourself from mosquito bites.
Read more