Border Traders Fear Third Clash, Say Two Rounds Already Devastated Them – No Sales, No Income, Vehicle Seized for Unpaid Installments

Border area traders in Ban Krud District, Buriram Province are growing anxious as tensions escalate again along the Thai-Cambodian border, raising fears of a third armed conflict. Following two previous clashes, merchants have significantly reduced their purchases of raw materials—cutting investments nearly in half—due to uncertainty about whether fighting will erupt again and force them to evacuate, repeating the losses they suffered in the two previous clashes.

Nang Phaeng, 65, who operates a food stall, expressed her fears about a potential third round of conflict, which she desperately hopes will not happen. She revealed that the two previous clashes caused her immense hardship: beyond financial losses, she lost all income, couldn't afford her vehicle's installment payments and had it repossessed, and accumulated debt exceeding 100,000 baht from borrowing to purchase inventory. Although business has resumed, her daily sales have plummeted from 3,000-4,000 baht to just 1,000-2,000 baht, barely covering her debts. With tensions rising again, she has further reduced raw material purchases, fearing another outbreak of violence, and is pleading with the government to resolve the situation.

Ms. Laddaporn, a roasted chicken vendor, echoed similar concerns, saying she has reduced raw material purchases by nearly half due to uncertainty about whether fighting will resume. She suffered significant losses in both previous conflicts, and although she has resumed selling, her revenue has been cut in half compared to before. She hopes that if a third clash occurs, authorities will resolve it decisively without a fourth round, as border merchants and residents have already suffered enough.