In Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, border farmers say life has been difficult since the clashes began. They plowed land to prepare for sugarcane planting but had to evacuate. Returning now, they rush to plant in time in case a third clash happens.
On 5 Jan 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that villagers living along the border continue to face hardship, living in anxiety due to reports of Cambodian troop movements and the possibility of a third clash.
Especially in agriculture, villagers must be cautious—for example, tapping rubber trees starting at night and continuing year-round, along with other farming activities during planting seasons.
Ms. Haruthai Panphet, 41, from Sai Taku subdistrict, Ban Kruat district, Buriram, a sugarcane farmer, said she planted 20 rai of sugarcane. Before the second clash, she plowed land to prepare but had to evacuate due to the fighting.
Now, after more than 20 days, she has had to plow again because the soil hardened and is rushing to finish planting. She cannot predict if a third clash will occur, as the news is not encouraging.
Ms. Haruthai said she hopes for peace at the border and no further clashes. The fighting forces villagers, especially farmers who must work to earn a living, to live in fear—worrying about their crop yields, when fighting might happen next, and how many times they will have to evacuate again.